The Lament of the Stars
by LionRoaR
Summary: "Just as three came to drive away the darkness of the forsaken spirits, so will cats come to drive away this threat..." Generations have passed since the Clans arrived at the Lake. But now, StarClan forsees a new danger - a threat worse than any before.
1. Prologue

_(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not own Warriors or Erin Hunter's characters, but I DO however claim credit for my OCs. Special thanks to Spirit and Flameh from StarClan's Prophecy for helping me with some names and ideas! And now, without further ado, the story! Please enjoy!)_

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**Prologue**

The sound of trickling water filled the she-cat's ears. Her calm eyes, the color of distant storm clouds, examined the low slope leading down to a pool, looking for any signs of movement. The smell of prey did not linger here, as it did in the forest – or almost anywhere else in the starry landscape that was the Celestial Lands. Only the faint smell of herbs and sweet flowers hung in the air in that ancient place, though, and the she-cat knew at once that she had come to the right place.

"Who are you?" She turned and saw a young kit staring up at her curiously.

"I am Nameless." The cat replied.

"Every cat has a name," the kit scoffed.

"Yes," the she-cat said patiently, "My name is Nameless."

"Well that's weird." The kit noted. Nameless smiled, and shadows seemed to gather over her grey eyes. She turned her head so that the other side of her face, previously hidden by the brambles she sat beside, was visible. The kit gasped out loud, his eyes wide.

"How'd you get that scar?" He asked. Nameless had long grown used to the stares. Her scar was not something that was easily missed. It was thick and large, running from just below her left ear across her eye and nose-bridge, ending on her right muzzle just below her whiskers.

"It was a long time ago, young one," Nameless replied, "And a story that is not meant to be told now. I must speak with the cats that walk this plain. The ones that call themselves StarClan." The she-cat said firmly. The kit's eyes widened until they were two huge green pools dominating his cute striped face.

"Really?"

"It is of the utmost importance." Nameless assured him.

"I'll go fetch the leaders, then," the kit said, racing away into the brush with little wisps of stars trailing after him. Nameless watched him go, a deep sadness cutting at her heart. He was so young – how could one so small be sent to live here, among many cats that had lived full lives before their deaths and new lives in the Celestial Lands? Nameless could not say, nor did she have any inclination to ask. Slowly, Nameless turned and began descending the steep slope leading to the pool's edge. Her thick tortoiseshell fur glimmered, the black patches turning silver in the starlight. She sat down at the water's edge, taking a deep breath. The scents of stars and night were personified through the sweet fragrance that enveloped the she-cat. Nameless enjoyed the brief respite – the calm before the storm. She was almost saddened by the approach of several cats, all with heads held high and eyes flashing – they were warriors, alright. Proud and strong, with fire in their souls.

"Volekit tells us that you have come from outside these particular pathways," one of the cats said. The speaker was a broad-shouldered golden tabby tom with intelligent eyes and a handsome face, as well as a calming deep voice and confidence that was common among his folk.

"Yes," Nameless said slowly, glancing at them and noticing that they seemed shocked to see her. And so they should be. Never before had the realm of these cats – _StarClan _as they called themselves – been invaded by an outsider. Until now.

"Why are you here?" Another cat asked. This time it was a she-cat, with long grey limbs and a wise face.

"I do not mean you harm. I simply have come to give you a warning… and propose a plan, if you are willing." Nameless's eyes narrowed as she looked from one cat to another. They were definitely proud. Would they even listen? She'd had her doubts about coming here, but what else could she do?

"What is your name?" The tabby asked.

"I am Nameless." The she-cat replied. None of the warriors responded to that. They looked at each other, mystified. They did not understand anything but their way of life. _And here lies the trouble. _Nameless thought.

"We will soon be joined," she began slowly, "By others." She turned her head slightly and listened. Yes, she had heard correctly. They had come after her at last. Two cats padded down the slope to join them. The Clan cats bristled in hostility, starlight shimmering around them as if they were charged with some heavenly powers. But they were merely cats – cats who watched over the world instead of passing to the next. It was not uncommon, as the very existence of Nameless and the other cats proved.

"So these are the Clans," one of the two cats meowed with a look of curiosity.

"Greetings," the other said quietly. His eyes flickered with uncertainty as he looked at the cats around him. He was obviously uncomfortable by himself. The other cat scooted towards him and touched his flank with her tail.

"I am Callie, and this is Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow. We have come from other Skies to speak with you." The she-cat said. Nameless noticed the tabby tom from the Clans examining Callie closely. She was somewhat plump, with silken cream hair and dark accents that made her blue eyes pop. She looked very different from Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow, who was a mottled brown tom with hazel eyes and an impassive expression on his face.

"You're a kittypet," the tabby tom said with a sort of matter-of-factness that did not mirror the anxiety of his fellow Clanmates. Murmurings filled the small clearing, mingled with the trickling of the water and the faint trill of the wind in the trees.

"And I am a loner," Nameless interrupted, "But we have all known that danger is coming. You have seen it as well, have you not?" Her eyes fell upon the grey she-cat, who stiffened. Her blue eyes narrowed.

"How do you know so much about us?" She asked.

"The skies are for all cats," Hills that Lies in Mountain's Shadow meowed gravely, "Not just for those of Tribes and Clans."

"Will you listen to us, Clan cats? You no doubt know the risk of turning our help away." Nameless said, casting a cold glance at the gathered spirits. Her eyes fell upon a stately ginger tom that met her gaze with open warmth. He stepped forward.

"I, for one, will listen," he mewed. The grey she-cat looked at him with wide eyes.

"Firestar, you know full well-"

"Know what?" He interrupted. "That Clan prejudices do not die with us? Yes, I know that. How could I forget? But I also know that I was once a kittypet, and yet here I stand as one of the past leaders of ThunderClan. There are no boundaries when it comes to the safety of all good cats." He meowed firmly.

"Well said, Firestar," Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow murmured.

"And what say the other leaders?" Callie demanded, her blue eyes flashing as they met the gazes of three other cats – a white tom with black paws, a grey she-cat that resembled the first, and a near-black tom with a surly expression.

"So I'm representing ShadowClan again, am I? Where is Russetstar?" The white tom asked in a bored manner.

"You can take this one for all I care, Blackstar," a red she-cat said, flicking her tail as she murmured something into the ear of her companion.

"I will speak for WindClan," the black tom meowed, dipping his head to a smaller golden tabby that eyed him.

"And what about you, Mistystar?" A dappled she-cat asked, turning to the second grey she-cat with a skeptical look.

"I will answer, Leopardstar," the grey cat replied.

"Order certainly has found no home in these skies," Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow said with a bemused twitch of his whiskers.

"Some leaders have left stronger legacies than others," Nameless murmured.

"And will Firestar speak for ThunderClan?" Callie inquired. Firestar looked at the first grey she-cat and the tabby tom that sat beside her, watching with calm amber eyes.

"I will leave the decision to you, Firestar," the tabby said, "As I know you would choose as I would."

"Thank you, Bramblestar," Firestar meowed with a dip of his head. He turned to the grey she-cat. "Bluestar?"

"You may speak for our Clan," Bluestar replied evenly.

"So, what's the decision then?" Callie asked impatiently. Nameless had no expression on her face. She sat watching the goings on with seemingly little interest. Beside her, Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow was shifting his weight from paw to paw, trying to look calm but failing.

"ThunderClan will speak with you," Firestar meowed. Nameless dipped her head.

"And so will RiverClan," Mistystar added.

"What of ShadowClan and WindClan?" Nameless asked, turning to the two toms. The white one gave her a long look and then sighed.

"I have seen what it so come, so I have very little choice I think. ShadowClan will listen," he said reluctantly.

"Thank you, Blackstar," Firestar meowed. The white tom inclined his head.

"Crowstar?" Mitsystar turned to the dark tom. His blue eyes examined the strangers for a long, tense moment. Then he nodded.

"WindClan will listen," he said.

"Excellent," Callie mewed delightedly. Nameless eyed her but said nothing. Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow shook his head slowly and looked over at the pool.

"It was a shock," he murmured, "To see something so dark on the horizon. Something so terrible… it would unite Clans, Tribes, housecats, and strays…" He mewed, turning back to them with a look of fierce determination in his eyes. "But this will not be our end." He said.

"When BloodClan fell, I thought I had witnessed the end of such things," Firestar murmured. "I suppose I should have known better."

"We all should have," Nameless said gravely. "BloodClan has left nothing but death and pain in its wake. Darker forests have been filled with the pitiful souls of cats that had given their lives to that evil cause." The she-cat shook her head and sighed.

"We should have known we hadn't seen the last of trouble," Blackstar muttered.

"But now is not the time for lamenting," a she-cat meowed as she stepped out from among the other cats. Firestar looked at her for a long time and then glanced away.

"You are right, Spottedleaf," Bluestar meowed, dipping her head to her old medicine cat. Spottedleaf's warm eyes turned to the she-cat and she smiled. Then she returned her attention to Nameless and the other two cats.

"Does the Tribe of Endless Hunting agree with helping us?" She asked Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow.

"Yes," the tom said, "Completely."

"But what are we going to do exactly?" Crowstar interrupted, his blue eyes narrowing into shimmering slits. "Do you have a plan?"

"Just as three came to drive away the darkness of the forsaken spirits, so will cats come to drive away this threat," Nameless replied solemnly.

"Will these cats possess powers?" This came from a handsome grey tom with somewhat cloudy blue eyes. Nameless bowed her head in respect to the tom.

"Yes, Jayfeather," she replied, "They will have even greater powers than you and your kin possess… in some respects." Jayfeather's neck fur bristled a little, as if he were wary of any cat having such power. Nameless could not blame him – or any cat – for thinking so. Even she had her doubts.

"It has been written," Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow meowed, "The skies have preordained this happening, and we can do no more to stop it than we can stop the will of our kin below." His eyes ventured to Callie's face. The kittypet did not look nervous or confused. She watched with equal concern and thoughtfulness as any other cat present.

"And what do kittypets have to do with this?" One of the starry warriors of the Clans demanded, noticing the Tribe cat's look.

"Every cat will be affected," Callie replied evenly, her gaze penetrating like barbed wire and causing the tom that had spoken to flinch, "Not just loners and Clan cats." The tom that had come in the beginning looked at Bluestar evenly. He lowered his head and sighed.

"The way is so foggy," he murmured. "It is hard to see what will come."

"But we will know, Oakheart," Bluestar said, "We will know when the time is right."

"Until then we must unite," Nameless meowed, "To watch together the fates of all cats."

"Agreed," Cassie mewed.

"Indeed." Blackstar murmured. Crowstar glanced at the other cats and then away, sighing.

"And how will we know these cats? Where will they come from? How many will there be?" He demanded. Nameless glanced up, and every eye followed hers. Shining above their heads were three faint stars that had long ago appeared in that sky. Around them, faint shivers of light were forming. Five stars appeared over the old three, brighter and healthier. Nameless lowered her face and closed her eyes.

"They will come," she meowed gravely, "And when they do arrive, we will know them."

"How long must we wait? The danger is already on its way." Crowstar demanded.

"We will not wait long," Nameless replied.

"Who are you?" One of the cats asked suddenly. Nameless turned towards the speaker. It was a grey tom with powerful hindlegs, his eyes narrowed as he watched Nameless.

"You have traveled far," the she-cat replied evasively, her expression unchanged.

"You called," the tom replied. The cats around him stirred, surprised by his sudden appearance. When had he come?

"And you also will watch with us, brother?" She asked. He paused before replying, his eyes steady on her face.

"Yes," he said slowly. "I will watch." Firestar stepped forward, his eyes wide.

"Cloudstar," he murmured. The tom turned to him and smiled.

"Yes. It is good to see you, old friend."

"Even SkyClan will be involved in this?" Firestar inquired. The cats behind him were murmuring anxiously, unsure of what he was talking about. Only a few stared at him gravely, knowing full well the sad story behind the old Clan.

"Yes," Nameless replied. "All cats will be involved. SkyClan is protected, far away from here. But their roots lie with the other Clans. You will need their help if the Clans are to survive." She said.

"It's been a long time since SkyClan has met with the other Clans," Cloudstar murmured, "Too long, perhaps."

"So that's it, then?" Blackstar demanded. "No one else is coming, right?"

"No, we are all. For now." Nameless said.

"It is time to move, then," Bluestar murmured.

"Yes," Hill that Lies in Mountain's Shadow responded, "We have much to do, many places to watch for the time when our new prophecy can begin moving."

"Let us hope that our brothers and sisters below may take heart," Callie said with a bowed head.

"Yes," Nameless replied, her pelt shimmering as she stared up into the sky. There was an air of mystery about her, the she-cat called Nameless with a sad, faraway look in her eye. "It is time," she said, and the other cats bowed their heads.

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_(AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you for reading the first chapter of LOTS! Please comment/review/fav if you would be so inclined! I love feedback! Hope you enjoyed muy mucho!)_


	2. Chapter One  Sohnya

_(Author's Note: I do not own Warriors or Erin Hunter's characters. But I DO however take credit for my plot and characters. Thank you for reading so far, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter One**

The world was darkness. This darkness had no definite shape, and yet it seemed to be an expanse of field – an endless, formless valley with no recognizable vegetation, and only small pools decorating the endless flat plains. The stars twinkled coldly overhead, but they were distant and shed no light on that strange world. There_ was_ light, however. The pools seemed to shine with different colors and images. Through their mirror-like surfaces, one could see glimpses of memories and visions. Countless figures of cats and foxes and Twolegs drifted past the surface, only to disappear with a faint ripple. Each pool was different, and each one had its own color and light. There were many stories in those pools. But no living soul wandered that dark world, and so there was no one to see them, no one to look down into the water.

No one but _her. _She had known this place her whole life, and had come to know its paths. She would walk to each pool and would look down and sometimes she would touch her nose to the water and _see_. She did not always see the same thing when she revisited pools, but she did not often return to one place. She was always searching. Even if she refused to think of it, she knew deep down in her heart that she was always looking for it. _Her _pool. The small glistening pool that held her dreams. For in that mystical world every cat had a pool. Perhaps that was why she alone wandered that place. She alone had no pool, no dreams. The she-cat approached one of the nearest pools, which had a blue aura surrounding it. She looked down into the water and then flinched away when she saw death and pain reflected in that surface. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her heartbeat had calmed, she looked up at the stars and knew where she would go.

The she-cat found her way to a pool she often visited. Its surface glittered with frost and starlight, and as she looked down she saw herself reflected in the surface. It was not her now, but as a young kit. She watched calmly, her eyes intent. Then she dipped her nose into the freezing mirror, feeling the damp tingle as she drifted into that dream. Inside it, she stood unnoticed, sparkles like stars drifting from her fur. She watched her mother pad after her as a young kit, scolding as she almost always did.

_"Stop running off, Sohnya!" _She called.

_"But I want to hear one of Gunner's stories!" _She complained, her wide kit-eyes staring up at her mother's impatient face.

_"Maybe later," _her mother said sorrowfully. The watching she-cat stepped back, feeling her chest tighten in pain. She hadn't noticed how skinny her mother was then. These dreams, she knew, were old dreams. Dead dreams. There was always a black aura about them to warn her that their owners had long since passed from the world of reality. Her mother no longer saw these memories or thoughts – her days were spent among the stars, high above the dream-world her daughter roamed.

The cold reality of wakefulness hit Sohnya with a sting. She rolled over, groaning as pain flared up her right shoulder again. She reached her muzzle down to sniff at her leg and froze. She turned away quickly, disgusted with herself. Her incredibly pale blue eyes stared out of the small crevice she had slept in. The streets of the Twolegplace were quiet. It wasn't sunup yet. She sighed and looked at the dark alley she had stayed the night in. It was empty, thank the stars. She didn't want to have to deal with fighting other cats for scraps of food. She always lost, anyway. Sohnya got to her paws and stretched slowly, carefully. Her distinctive orange-and-tabby-patched fur was slick with grime and dampness. She hissed under her breath. She would have to clean herself off later. The she-cat took a few quickly steps, her front side lurching as her back legs worked quickly to keep up. As she turned, the sunlight revealed a rounded patch of tabby fur where her right leg used to be. The Twolegs had at least done a good job of patching it up. But she felt… vulnerable, as any three-legged cat might. She was slow, clumsy, and could never fight very well. It was all the Twolegs' fault. They always ruined everything.

Sohnya limped forward into one of the other alleyways. That was the nice thing about Twoleg nests. They always had plenty of obscure places that the Twolegs never ventured into. She found one of the shining cans beside one nest's entrance. Sohnya hopped on top of it clumsily, with only one leg to break her fall. She managed to push her weight onto one side of the lid and smiled widely with satisfaction as the can fell over. The she-cat landed heavily on her left leg, feeling the familiar jarring sensation up her shoulder. She turned to the spilled contents of the can and began sniffing.

"That looks like quite a meal there." She started and looked over her shoulder. A golden tabby was staring at her, his whiskers twitching.

"Not really," she replied defensively, "Just some old Twoleg food."

"Food is food." The tom shrugged. Sohnya felt an empty pang in her stomach, as if it were reminding her that she was hungry and warning her that this tom meant nothing good by her at the same time.

"Maybe," she said warily.

"You're not opposed to sharing, are you?" The tom smirked at her, his eyes roving down to her right shoulder. "That seems like an odd deficiency," he noted with a bemused twitch of his whiskers.

"A Twoleg monster hit me. The Twoleg took me to get it fixed." She snapped, hating that look in his eyes, that taunting look that dared her to refuse him what he wanted. He thought she was weak because of her leg. But she would show him! "This is my food. Go find your own." She snarled.

"A pity," he sighed. "I was hoping you'd cooperate." Suddenly three more shapes appeared from behind him. One was a pure white she-cat with piercing blue eyes. The other was a thickset brown tabby tom with a bobbed tail. The other was hidden in shadow, and Sohnya couldn't see whoever it was.

"Maybe we should leave this one alone, Tarj," the white she-cat said. "She doesn't look like she'd be much fun."

"But you know how we do things." The golden tom replied patiently. "And how is that, Rikka?"

"You don't have to patronize every cat, Tarj," the she-cat snapped.

"I say we eat her other foreleg." The big tabby grumbled, glaring at Sohnya with an intense dislike in his surly face. Beside him, the third cat moved closer, revealing himself in the faint light that streamed down into the alleyway.

"Really, Mace," he meowed without much emotion in his voice, "All you ever think about is eating." The tom was long-legged and brawn, with silken black fur and pale yellow-gold eyes. His face wasn't altogether nasty, like Tarj's or the tabby's. But he certainly looked unhappy.

"I haven't done anything wrong," Sohnya insisted, though her voice shook a little. Four against one was bad odds – she'd be at a disadvantage fighting just _one _cat! And she'd never be able to run away. _This is it, I guess. _She thought. _I'm at these cats' mercy._

"You're breathing," the tabby tom, Mace, snapped, "That's enough wrong for me."

"Hush, hush, Mace," Tarj said with something like patient fondness in his voice, "We must remember that manners are important."

"Yeah, and so is dog food," Mace growled, "Which is exactly what I plan to turn that insolent brat into."

"He doesn't like cats standing up to any of our Gang's authority, you see," Rikka explained, sending Sohnya a cold glance.

"Venom sent us to find food," the black tom snapped, "Not to chat about eating a maimed, helpless stray." Sohnya was a little offended, but she decided not to say anything. Obviously, out of all the cats, the black one was the only one remotely interested in letting her go.

"Ah, you're right," Tarj sighed. "I am so forgetful! And I suppose she _isn't _worth the struggle. Whatever. You were lucky this time, sweetheart," he told Sohnya. Then he motioned with his tail for the other cats to follow him. He disappeared down the alley, followed by a sulking Mace and a frosty-eyed Rikka. But the black cat hesitated, staring back at Sohnya with an unreadable expression in his golden eyes. Then he sighed and turned to join his friends. Sohnya's heart was hammering inside her chest painfully. She collapsed where she was, feeling that her foreleg couldn't hold her up any longer. She'd heard whispers of a Gang of alley cats that went around bullying poor defenseless cats. Sooner or later, there would be nowhere left to hide from them. That Venom, their leader, was content on taking over as much territory as he could get. And his army was growing. Every cat knew that. Sohnya had never imagined it was quite that bad before, but she certainly believed so now. She sighed and licked up some old tuna from a silver dish that lay in front of her. Her belly rumbled, wanting more. She dug through the trash until she'd found enough to eat, then she limped off quickly, not wanting a Twoleg to come out and find her there.

Sohnya walked through the back alleys slowly, listening for any signs of danger. Her paw made a soft squelching noise as she stepped on something pink and stinky that was stuck to the ground. She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. Whatever it was, it stank of Twoleg spit. She lay down and rolled onto her side so that she could lick her paw, shuddering at the awful taste that lingered on it. Then, satisfied that it was finally gone, she made her way towards the nearest fence. Sighing, Sohnya gathered her hindquarters beneath her and leaped with all her might at the fence. She caught the edge with her one forepaw and scrabbled the rest of the way using her hind claws. Balancing was not one of Sohnya's strong points, but she'd learn to make do. She inched her hind paws forward and then lifted her foreleg, lurching forward as she always did. It was slow going, perching on the fence top, and she was relieved when she finally saw the small gap in the wall of an old Twoleg nest. She hopped down into the shadowy structure, relieved at the feeling of warmth that filled her chest. It was always warm inside that particular nest. She heard the murmurings of voices and scented many cats resting in the different rooms.

"Hey, hey, hey," a familiar voice meowed. "If it isn't Three-legs." Sohnya looked up at the tom that had spoken. He was large, thick-furred. His grey tabby pelt was unkempt, and he had a lazy look about the eyes.

"Dag," she acknowledged.

"You haven't been by in some time." He noted, looking as if he didn't really cared that she hadn't. Sohnya flicked her ear, her expression impassive.

"I am in need of some information."

"That's the only reason you ever come," he grumbled.

"Why else would I?" Sohnya snapped. Dag looked at her with an indifferent sort of smirk on his face.

"Oh, I don't know," he meowed with a shrug, "I could think of some reasons."

"Well I can't." She retorted, marching deeper into the nest. There were other cats, milling in small groups. She heard some cats talking about a lack of food. _There's always a lack of food. _She thought. Another group was discussing the recent building of more Twoleg nests near the forest. _There are always more Twoleg nests being built. _Sohnya passed the other cats and moved straight to the back of the nest. She slipped into a smaller room, where only two cats sat in the shadows. The first was a small white she-cat with grey patches, the other a much larger tom with thick calico fur and amber-green eyes. His black face, marked with a white muzzle as small strip of white that ran up his nose, turned at the sound of her entrance and his eyes flashed. Then he relaxed, examining her closely for a few moments before speaking.

"Ah," he meowed slowly, "Sohnya."

"Your memory is excellent as always, Raven." Sohnya meowed, dipping her head respectfully. Raven turned to the small she-cat.

"What time is it, Leila?"

"Around dawn, Raven," the little cat replied.

"Mighty early for you, Sohnya. You usually come in the evenings." Raven turned his gaze back to her. Sohnya shifted the weight on her hind legs, a nervous habit that she had developed after she'd lost her foreleg.

"Yes, well, something came up." She said hesitantly.

"And by something you must mean those rouges, right?" Raven began sorting through some bundles at his paws. Sohnya was speechless, as she always was when Raven knew things that he seemingly shouldn't. And he always did. "They've been causing trouble for a long time," he mewed, "You shouldn't be surprised that I guessed right."

"What can you tell me about them?" Sohnya asked.

"They're bad business," Raven growled, to her surprise. Usually Raven was quite calm and factual about every piece of information he gathered and retold. He had always said that bias was the surefire way to discredit one's reliability. The thought of him breaking that code made Sohnya nervous.

"How so?" Sohnya demanded.

"Venom came from another section of this Twolegplace," Raven began solemnly, "And he has followed in the pawsteps of his father, undoubtedly."

"Who was his father?"

"A cat by the name of Blood."

"I've never heard of him."

"You wouldn't have," Raven scoffed, "He was killed before you were born. He was a reckless cat that believed in the teachings of his great-great-grandfather. He believed that the cats of Twolegplace should unite under his rule. Blood tried to unite the cats and spread his reign throughout the streets, but he was stopped by a heroic barn cat by the name of Tosco. Venom never forgot his father's dream, even after his death, and though his friends warned him against it, he began to try to rise up and take control. His territory has become vast in a short amount of time, and has finally spread his kingdom to this very place. But he won't stop. No, he will keep going until he has conquered all the cats and territory he can. He wants to avenge his great-great-great-grandfather's death, as well as his father's, by taking over the Clan of cats that killed him and scattered the group of cats he'd ruled."

"What was his great-great-great-grandfather's name?" Sohnya asked.

"I'm not sure," Raven replied with a sigh, "I haven't been able to find out."

"Thank you anyways," Sohnya said, dipping her head. Raven nodded.

"Anytime, Sohnya," he meowed. Sohnya waved goodbye to Raven and Leila, slipping out into the main room. Most of the cats had moved since she'd entered, and some had left while others had arrived. She saw Dag talking to a slender black she-cat. A tom named Ruddy was sitting amongst his small posse, talking about the best hunting areas left, that weren't being patrolled by strange cats that followed some cat called Venom. _"His territory has become vast in a short amount of time, and has finally spread to this very place." _Raven's words echoed in Sohnya's head. It would seem that he'd been correct. Their small patch of Twolegplace was already being overrun.

"Hey," a deep, gentle voice interrupted Sohnya's thoughts. She turned and saw a white tom with flame-patches on his ears and tail, a little snip of ginger running up his forehead and a little down the side of his nose. His eyes were different colors; one was blue, the other green.

"H-hello," Sohnya stammered, unaccustomed to being addressed by an unfamiliar face. The tom tilted his head to one side.

"I'm Riddle," he said. "I've come from farther west of the Twolegplace." He said.

"Oh, really?" Sohnya wondered why Riddle was talking to her. But he didn't seem to be inclined to tell her. He just sat there and watched her, his eyes somehow uniform even though they were very different. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.

"What's your name?" Riddle asked.

"Sohnya," she said after a moment's hesitation. Riddle looked at her searchingly and then smiled.

"Nice name," he mewed.

"T-thanks…" His interest was starting to annoy Sohnya. What did he want? Was he thinking of how to take advantage of her weaknesses? Was he hoping to make fun of her, like Dag always did? But there was no visible malice in his expression. Just distant curiosity.

"Does it bother you?" He asked finally. Anger flared up in her chest. Why did every cat insist on making her talk about her disability!

"Of course it does!" She snapped, "Why wouldn't having my leg cut off bother me!"

"I meant," Riddle said after a tense pause, where all eyes in the room had suddenly turned to them, "Does it bother you that cats always seem to stare at you rudely?" Sohnya frowned. So he was asking… if it bothered her that other cats noticed and asked her about her injury. Why would he want to know that? She felt a little bad for freaking out at him, but she was still wary.

"Yes," she said quietly as the other cats seemed to lose interest, "It does."

"I see." Riddle's eyes looked sad as he turned away. "I see…" Sohnya pricked her ears, curious. Why did he look so sorrowful all of the sudden? Before she could ask Riddle got to his paws and turned towards the other room.

"Sorry to have bothered you," he murmured quietly, so much so that she almost didn't hear him. She started forward, following him out of the small abandoned Twoleg nest. She was grateful to leave the musty smell of the nest behind, despite its warmth, and as she emerged on the windowsill she took a deep breath of clean air. Even the scent of rotting garbage, Twolegs, and monsters couldn't completely dilute the smell of fresh air. Sohnya saw Riddle sitting nearby, watching her but looking as if he were somewhere far away. She suddenly heard an echoing laughter, like a young kit enjoying a game or some unexpected delight. It was a familiar sound. It often echoed through her mother's dreams. She wished she could remember laughing like that. But all she could remember of the past were the scenes her mother's pool had shown her. Nothing more. No memories of her own, before the accident.

"Did I upset you?" Sohnya asked, approaching him as quietly as she could with her one paw thumping on the fence. Riddle turned to look at her, opened his mouth, and then seemed to rethink what he was about to say.

"No," he murmured, "You didn't."

"Oh. That's good." Sohnya meowed, feeling a bit awkward. She usually didn't talk much to other cats. Riddle seemed to snap back to the present, his eyes focusing on her as her stomach growled embarrassingly loudly.

"And I had a nice breakfast, too," she sighed.

"Why don't I get us something to eat?" Riddle smiled. Sohnya liked the way he suggested it, somehow. The look in his eyes told her that he didn't judge her, didn't think she was worthless and couldn't even catch her own prey.

"I can hunt," she said, though she hardly felt the need to point it out, as she usually did.

"I didn't say you couldn't. But I would feel more gentlemanly if I caught you something myself." He meowed with a cheerful grin. Sohnya smiled, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

"Ok," she said finally. "But just this once."

Sohnya hadn't had a warm, fresh-caught mouse in a long time. She enjoyed every bite, wondering how Riddle had managed to catch two. That was almost unheard of – prey was scarce most of the time, and hard to catch at the best of times. But he just smiled and said he'd been lucky when she'd asked. Sohnya licked her jaw happily when she finished, watching Riddle as he took the scraps and deposited them into a small hole he'd dug in the dirt. He turned and smiled in reaction to her puzzled look.

"This way it won't attract other cats," he said. "Our little hunting place is secure for now." Sohnya nodded, not really sure if this was true or not. She followed Riddle out of the alleyway without another word, letting him lead her through unfamiliar alleys until they came to a high fence. He motioned to a dark gap.

"There are dogs," he said, "But they're easy to avoid, if you're careful." Sohnya nodded, wondering where he was taking her. She ducked into the gap after him, slipping through it slowly and painfully because of her leg. She could hear the dogs, and when they emerged on another fence she saw them in the yard below. They started barking and Sohnya rushed after Riddle, almost slipping a couple times in her haste. Riddle leaped off the fence and onto soft green grass. Sohnya looked up, her jaw dropping. Before her was the forest she'd heard about. It was beautiful green, and seemingly as vast as the Twolegplace itself.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Riddle asked, smiling sadly. Sohnya looked over at him curiously and then turned her attention back to the trees.

"Can we go in there?" She asked.

"Maybe tomorrow," he replied, seemingly pleased that she wanted to go with him, "But for now it's starting to get dark." Sohnya blinked, surprised. Time really had passed quickly with Riddle as a companion. He led her to a small alleyway between two houses, where a box was set up with a cushion inside and a glass of some white stuff lying outside it.

"Milk," Riddle said. "The Twolegs have been leaving it for me. They're nice." He meowed, though he looked somewhat uncomfortable. Sohnya trembled slightly, staring at the den with an expression akin to horror on her face.

"It's Ok," Riddle murmured, "They won't even come out of their nest. I promise." Sohnya looked at him uncertainly and then nodded and padded into the box. She curled up in the back and rested her left shoulder against the soft corner, where blankets rubbed pleasantly against her. She began licking her fur gently, disgusted with her own smell now that she was among something clean and warm. Riddle lay down next to her and began licking her fur, as well. He seemed content helping groom herself. Something in the gesture was almost fatherly, so Sohnya didn't protest. She fell asleep like that, feeling warm and for once, not _alone._

The sound of Sohnya's pawsteps was the only thing that disturbed the peace of the dream-world. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the odd light of the pools. She began searching for another in particular, forgetting about her own missing pool for once. When she had met a cat, it made finding their pool somewhat easy. She would follow the auras, until she found one that matched the one they had in reality. She could never see them during the daytime, but somehow she always knew what they looked like when she had entered the dream-world. Sohnya saw one pool close by that had Riddle's aura. She padded up to it and glanced down into the cool purple-blue water. Even though Riddle's aura had been warm and golden, the vision made her withdraw quickly. She had only looked into the pool for a few moments, but she had already seen a glimpse of a battle. In that glimpse Riddle had looked ferocious and dangerous, his claws scoring another cat's eye while his hindpaws battered at its stomach.

"You don't always want to know the truth behind other cats' dreams." Sohnya jumped, not expecting anyone else to walk in that dark place. She turned around quickly and saw the faint outline of a grey tomcat. He was a little small, with soft-looking faintly striped fur and pale blue eyes. Starlight glimmered in his fur and seemed to waft around him like the light floated around the pools.

"W-who are you?" Sohnya stammered.

"The only cat that could possibly reach you here," the tom replied gravely.

"What do you mean?" She demanded.

"You walk in this realm that normally no cat can reach, and are always appearing in different dreams – some dreams that have already been left behind in the past. Neither of these places I have mentioned are particularly easy for us to find you in. Even me," the tom said. He looked irritated about this fact, and according to what he had said about it being "difficult" to find her, Sohnya could guess why. But what she couldn't imagine was why this starry cat was interested in her.

"And you _are?"_

"You're asking for my name?" The tom smirked, his eyes examining her as if he were looking into her soul.

"I am Jayfeather."

* * *

_(Author's Note: Thanks for reading the chapter, please review/comment/fav if you would be so inclined! :D And I noticed that one of my reviewers (thank you very much for your reviews Twilightmoonstar, Cinderpaw11, and happinessissad) requested some LeafxCrow action :3 I totally am a fan of the couple, but I must warn you that (as they are both dead) it might not be a very big part of the story if they DO show up (which they may, or may not - I'm not telling). However, Crowstar (for he IS Crowstar in my story) will appear many times, so keep your eyes peeled. Again, thank you for reading! Next chapter is written and will be out soon!)_


	3. Chapter Two Galepaw

_(Author's Note: I do not own Warriors or Erin Hunter's characters/ideas, but I DO however claim credit for my plot and OCs. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter Two**

The stone hollow was quiet, peaceful. Sunlight bounced off the rock face, making the high carved walls of ThunderClan's camp seem soft and smooth. The dawn patrol had just returned with fresh-kill in their jaws, and the camp was finally beginning to stir into wakefulness. Willowwing sat outside the nursery, watching her kits Talonkit and Darkkit as they played together. Whisperpaw had already returned from a training session with her mentor and ThunderClan's deputy, Fallingrain, and was gulping down a mouse with her sister, Leafpaw. ThunderClan's leader, Wolfstar, had just emerged from his den, and was talking with his mate Larkmoon as they began to eat a plump thrush together. Some of the senior warriors were discussing what the apprentices would be doing, while others shared tongues and waited to be assigned a duty. Everything seemed right, and none of the cats were tense or worried. Life was good, and no ill omens shadowed the Clan's future.

"Where is Darkkit!" A voice suddenly cut through the tranquil atmosphere. Darkkit squeaked, her dark green eyes widening.

"I didn't do it!" She squealed, running to her mother and diving between the slender she-cat's paws. Willowwing turned her head to the Medicine cat's den, where Brittlewhisker was stomping out of the bramble screen that hid it, his fur bristling. The grouchy Medicine cat seemed to be in a worse mood than usual, which did not bode well.

"What's the matter, Brittlewhisker?" Wolfstar asked, standing up. He was a large cat, even for a ThunderClanner, and when he held his head high he seemed to tower over his Clanmates. He was a respected warrior and an admired leader, and even Brittlewhisker was polite to him.

"I wish to speak with Willowwing about letting her kits wander about," the Medicine cat said with forced control in his voice, "That menace of a kit of hers broke into my herbs again and squished all of my juniper berries! Probably ate some others, too…"

"Did not!" Darkkit cried.

"Then who did it, eh?" Brittlewhisker demanded, his eyes flashing.

"That's enough," Wolfstar said calmly. He turned to Darkkit, who was still cowering between her mother's paws.

"Darkkit, did you go into the Medicine cat's den?" He asked.

"I did _not!"_ The kit meowed, her eyes wide.

"Oh, um…" Every eye turned to the cat that spoke. The dark she-cat that had become the object of attention in a split second blinked and shifted her weight from paw to paw.

"What is it, Galepaw?" Wolfstar asked patiently.

"I think I saw a squirrel carrying some of your berries off, Brittlewhisker," she meowed.

"Nonsense!" The Medicine cat snapped, "Squirrels wouldn't come near my den!"

"That one looked pretty hungry." Galepaw said gravely.

"I would expect such a story from _you. _I'll bet you're the one that trashed my stores!" Brittlewhisker growled, glaring at the she-cat with open hostility in his eyes.

"That's enough!" Wolfstar snarled, his eyes flashing. Brittlewhisker winced, taking a step back from the large grey tom. Larkmoon padded to her mate's side and touched his shoulder with her tail.

"Galepaw is my brother's kit," Wolfstar meowed gravely, "I would ask you not to disrespect his memory, or my kin, with unfounded accusations." Brittlewhisker dipped his head but still looked irritated. Wolfstar turned to Galepaw and sighed sadly. The apprentice was staring down at her feet, her honey-amber eyes filled with sadness. Her ears, curled back on themselves like they were held by thin tendrils of cobwebs, twitched slightly as she stood and began to walk towards the elder's den. She didn't want to listen as Wolfstar tried to convince Brittlewhisker that she had been telling the truth, and that she really _had_ seen a squirrel running off with his berries. She felt bitterness welling up inside her chest, threatening to choke her. And why would anyone ever believe her? After all, her father had been a liar.

Galepaw padded into the elder's den, sighing as she felt the cool shade fall onto her shoulders.

"Is that you, Galepaw?" A ginger head rose from a heap of moss and fur. Redfur blinked her clouded eyes at the apprentice as she tilted her head to one side.

"Here to clean the bedding out?"

"Yes, Redfur," Galepaw replied.

"Why so upset?" Redfur's brother, Moleclaw, inquired, tilting his spotted head to one side. He was lucky enough to have not lost his sight, as Redfur had. The two were older than any cats Galepaw had ever heard about. They had been born when the great Bramblestar led the Clan, before Heavenstar. Galepaw had always loved hearing stories about Heavenstar, who was leader before Wolfstar. She wished she could have met her. Maybe the noble leader would have understood what it was like, since Heavenstar had been half-Clan, too.

"Brittlewhisker thinks I'm dishonest," she murmured sadly.

"Hmph. Brittlewhisker can jump in the lake." Redfur sniffed.

"You're about as dishonest as I am young and debonair," Moleclaw said dryly.

"It's all because of my father," Galepaw grumbled.

"Ashcrest was a loyal ThunderClanner, and one of the best warriors I ever knew." Redfur meowed gravely. "Your lineage is nothing to be ashamed of."

"It is when my mother was from another Clan!" Galepaw exclaimed, severely frustrated and sad and angry. Redfur stared in her general direction with a somber expression while Moleclaw settled down into his nest with a sigh.

"My own mother… didn't even want me…" Galepaw sniffed, clawing at the elder's bedding to vent her emotions.

"You don't know that," Moleclaw murmured. Galepaw looked up at him sharply.

"She handed me off to my father without even a second thought!" She squeaked indignantly, "How can you say she loved me after she did that?"

"ShadowClan… perhaps she felt that your life would not be as happy there." Redfur meowed.

"Yeah, right," Galepaw muttered as she bundled up the moss.

"Life's what you make it, Galepaw," Moleclaw said, "So perhaps you should try thinking positively about this, like you do about nearly everything else. After all, no one knows who your mother is. Perhaps she still watches you, from time to time, as proud as any parent would be of their offspring." Galepaw turned to the tom and couldn't help but return his smile.

"Thanks," she meowed to the both of them. She was glad Moleclaw and Redfur were there for her. She hated feeling like she was alone, and their guidance and wisdom always made her feel that she could hope again.

"Of course," Redfur said with a nod, "But don't forget to come back later and check my fur for ticks! I've been scratching all morning!"

Galepaw padded into the clearing with the last bit of dirty moss in her jaws. She'd already laid down the clean stuff, and she was eager to have her job finished so that she could train. The clearing had thinned out, so she assumed that most cats were already making themselves useful. She saw Talonkit playing with Farlight's kits, Bluekit, Lunarkit, and Coonkit. Bluekit was obviously the leader of the posse. The stubborn tom always insisted on being first, always wanted to be the ThunderClan leader in their games, and never let the other kits have a say in anything. He only ever listened to Darkkit, since she was an even more clever kit than he was, but she rarely paid attention to him. Galepaw was always amused by Darkkit's loner attitude. She did what she wanted, with whoever she wanted, when she wanted to do it. It was just how she was. Galepaw wished she could be so carefree, but she was always concerned about what other cats thought. _I wish I could have Darkkit's spunk. _

"Galepaw!" She turned too quickly, startled, and almost dropped her moss. But it was only her mentor, Onyxfeather. The black she-cat eyed Galepaw scathingly. "There you are," she meowed. "I heard Brittlewhisker muttering about you messing with his herbs."

"He thinks I did, but I didn't, and I'm not lying," Galepaw insisted, her voice a little slurred by her burden.

"Never said you were," Onyxfeather retorted, "But I want you to stay out of that tom's fur. He was never a friend of your father, so it doesn't surprise me that he disapproves of you. Anyways, I want to take you out hunting, so finish up with that moss quick." Galepaw's mentor meowed firmly. Galepaw nodded, hurrying off to get rid of the dirty moss. Most cats would shudder at the thought of having Onyxfeather as a mentor. The she-cat was outspoken, rash, and tended to be snappy. But Galepaw would have chosen no other warrior to be her mentor – even if she had to put up with Onyxfeather's brusque attitude. The warrior was brave and strong and knew how to teach, and she never judged Galepaw by anything but the hard work she did. Galepaw loved Onyxfeather, like the mother she'd never had. She would probably never tell her mentor that, since Onyxfeather was not one for fondling, but she could feel it deep within her heart and be satisfied by the thought.

"Ah, there we are," Onyxfeather said as Galepaw hurried back into the camp. She nodded her approval. "Prompt, as usual. Very good. Let's be off."

The forest was alive with the signs of Newleaf, the sun dappling the undergrowth with its warm rays as prey scurried about beneath the leaves. Galepaw enjoyed every second of being there, in the wilderness, feeling at one with nature and reveling in the emotions that filled her and made her feel that, yes, she belonged.

"Now," Onyxfeather interrupted her wandering thoughts, "What can you smell?"

"Fox," Galepaw replied, "It's stale, though. There's a squirrel that way." Galepaw motioned towards some trees that were clumped together. Onyxfeather paused and scented the air, then nodded.

"Very good. Have at it." She meowed. Galepaw liked Onyxfeather's teaching style. Instead of showing her again and again how to do something, she had Galepaw try it out and then told her what she could change to make it better. Galepaw crept towards the trees, listening. She spotted the squirrel at the base of the two oaks, nibbling on some berries. _You! _She thought, anger flaring up inside her chest. The squirrel looked up in alarm as she bolted from her place. It barely had time to blink before she snapped its neck in her jaws, feeling a cold satisfaction filling her as she set it down at her paws. She turned and saw Onyxfeather staring at her in bewilderment.

"What is it?" Galepaw asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Wolfstar names you Galewhip," she meowed. "You always do that so quickly, I can barely see you. Must have taken after you mother or something." Onyxfeather sniffed the squirrel and nodded her approval.

"That's a good catch," she said. "And from what I could see your form is good." _It wouldn't matter if it wasn't. _Galepaw thought. _I've always been fast enough to make up for all that. _

"You know," Onyxfeather began airily, as if she weren't really interested in the topic she was about to bring up. Galepaw pricked her ears, eager for whatever instruction her mentor would give her. "The Gathering is tonight. I think I may ask Wolfstar to let you come. Would you like to?"

"Oh yes, please!" Galepaw exclaimed happily, her eyes stretched wide with excitement as she wiggled in place, her energy seeming to bubble up from inside of her.

"Well, then," Onyxfeather meowed, "I will ask him, then."

"Thank you!" Galepaw cried. Her mentor smiled slightly, one of the expressions that softened her face and made her look motherly to Galepaw, who had never had a mother and couldn't really say how the expression was supposed to look. She had been nursed by Larkmoon, when she'd lost her kits, but Larkmoon had never been like a mother. She'd been too grieved about her own kits to welcome her mate's brother's. Onyxfeather was the only figure in Galepaw's life that could compare.

"Now," Galepaw's mentor meowed gravely, "Let's go closer to the WindClan border. I want to see your rabbit-hunting skills, if we're lucky enough to find one."

The log that led onto the Gathering Island was small and slippery, but Galepaw had never had any trouble getting across. She was quick and light on her paws, always the more nimble of her fellow apprentices. She had tried to help Whisperpaw with her balance before, but the she-cat had found it was not easy to teach something that she were born with.

"I'm so excited to see Minnowpaw again!" Whisperpaw said eagerly. Galepaw pricked her ears. She had developed green-cough when the last Gathering was held, and had been forced to stay at home, and she'd been too shy to talk much at her first few gatherings, so Galepaw hadn't had much of a chance to meet new friends. But she would make some tonight, she promised herself.

"I could introduce you, Galepaw," Whisperpaw suggested with a friendly smile. "Minnowpaw is from RiverClan. She's really fun!"

"No thanks," Galepaw said. "I think I want to find my own way around."

"Ok," the other apprentice replied good-naturedly. Galepaw padded into the central clearing and had to stop short and stare in wonder. No matter how many times she attended the Gatherings, she could never get used to the number of cats that stood in the clearing, greeting one another and talking about patrols and hunting and weather. She looked around, hoping to find someone to talk to. Most of the apprentices had already found company. She sighed, wishing she had the courage to walk up and join them.

"It's a big crowd." She started, surprised to hear a voice near her ear. She turned and saw a long-legged tabby tom standing next to her. He had an open, honest gaze and pale yellow eyes. She couldn't quite tell from his build what Clan he was from. He had thick fur that stuck up in odd angles, as if it had been blown about by a violent wind, and he had a husky sort of build about the shoulders and flank, though the rest of him was lean and long. He looked as though he'd be both strong and very fast.

"I'm Briarpaw," he said with a small, shy smile, "WindClan."

"I'm Galepaw. ThunderClan." She meowed in response, surprising herself with her steady voice and focused gaze. Normally she was shy around new cats, as the tom seemed to be, but somehow she already felt that she and Briarpaw would be good friends.

"I've seen you at Gatherings before," Briarpaw meowed, "But I've… well, never really been that good at introducing myself."

"You're doing fine now," Galepaw noted with a friendly smile. Briarpaw relaxed.

"Yeah, I guess so," he said.

"How old are you?" Galepaw inquired.

"Twelve moons," he responded.

"Will you become a warrior soon?" She asked.

"I hope so!" Briarpaw said wistfully. She found that he was somehow easy to be around, that the look in his eyes wasn't as cold or distant as some of his Clanmates'. She liked that. It made her think of the atmosphere in her camp, where cats weren't judging each other's strength or ferocity. It was all natural friendship with Briarpaw.

"And what about you?" Briarpaw asked curiously.

"I'm eleven moons," she replied. He nodded.

"So we're close to the same age. That's great! Most of the cats I know from other Clans are my mentor's friends, so they're all older." He muttered.

"Who's your mentor?" Galepaw inquired curiously.

"Crooktail," he replied, gesturing towards a thin brown tom that sat nearby with some ShadowClanners.

"My mentor is Onyxfeather," Galepaw offered, motioning with her paw towards the dark she-cat. Onyxfeather stood out among the crowd, if only because she blended in. Her black fur melted into the night, even in the light of the full moon, except for the feather-shaped patch of white on her shoulder, which shone like the surface of the lake.

"Wow," he meowed, "I've heard things about her. She's got quite the reputation." He looked amused.

"She's a good fighter and hunter," Galepaw murmured, "But her manners stink like mouse-bile sometimes."

"From what I've heard, I imagine so." Suddenly Wolfstar's voice rang out, signaling for the Gathering to a start.

"Come on," Briarpaw meowed, his eyes shining with excitement, "I know a great place to listen!" He led Galepaw into some bushes and then up a series of rocks, back down, through more bushes. Finally they emerged on the other side of the Gathering, in some brush. She could see the leaders' faces clearly, and could hear Wolfstar's voice as it rang out into the clearing.

"ThunderClan has had a good moon," he was saying as they crouched down together. "Our Clan is thriving and Newleaf has brought with it plenty of prey. StarClan has granted us a gentle Leafbare, and we look forward to Greenleaf with optimism." He meowed. Normally, leaders were expected to boast. But when Wolfstar said something, it never seemed like a boast or lie. He always spoke with conviction, so that any cat would believe any word that came from his mouth. The Clans were hushed, listening respectfully to the powerful warrior. He was undeniably the strongest cat among them, and had a reputation for being so.

"Will RiverClan speak next?" He asked the RiverClan leader, Graystar. The tom dipped his head in response and stood on his branch, his fine grey fur rippling with silver in the moonlight.

"RiverClan has done well this Leafbare," he meowed calmly, his voice quiet and yet not at all difficult to hear, "And we are happy to report that the Twoleg lake-monsters are fewer this Newleaf. With that said, I have two new apprentices to announce. Ramblepaw will be mentored by Longstream, while his sister Azaleapaw will be mentored by Morningbird." Cheers filled the clearing, from every Clan. Galepaw smiled. She was always glad to hear of new apprentices.

"I met Ramblepaw," Briarpaw whispered, his breath tickling the furs inside her ear, "He's pretty outgoing."

"Is Azaleapaw here, too?" Galepaw inquired beneath her breath, not wanting to be overheard by any cat.

"No, I don't think so," Briarpaw replied. As they looked back up at the tree the ShadowClan leader, Hauntstar, had risen to her paws. Her pale black-grey fur glistened dully in the faded light and her eyes seemed dull.

"ShadowClan has remained strong this Leafbare," she began in a monotonous voice, "We have chased a fox off our territory, and we think it may have made a den somewhere beyond ThunderClan's border." She meowed, acknowledging Wolfstar with a dip of her head. He returned the gesture and smiled.

"Thank you for the warning, Hauntstar." The ShadowClan leader nodded and then turned to the WindClan leader.

"Tanglestar?" She prompted.

"WindClan has fared well," he responded nervously, his eyes flickering back and forth a little. Tanglestar had always been a jumpy warrior, and he still hadn't gotten used to his position after his predecessor, Harestar's, death, two moons ago.

"We have two new apprentices – Twigpaw and Jaypaw. They are mentored by Quickfoot and Tansyleaf. We also have a new warrior – Littlepaw is now Littleleap." Every cat in the clearing called out Littleleap's name, and Galepaw noticed a small black tom shuffling his paws nervously as his Clanmates nudged him in congratulations.

"Littleleap was really happy," Briarpaw murmured, and Galepaw saw he looked wistful and pleased at the same time. "He's worked really hard."

"I bet," Galepaw replied with a smile.

"And with that," Wolfstar called out, "The Gathering is at an end." Galepaw got to her paws, watching the cats saying goodbye to one another. She wished she could stay and talk to Briarpaw some more.

"We can walk back together," he said, as if he were reading her thoughts. "Our Clans live on the same side of the lake, after all."

"Yeah!" Galepaw exclaimed, though she wondered privately if she could get away with walking next to Briarpaw. Ever since a small dispute over the border with WindClan when she was a kit, the relationship between the two Clans had been strained at best. But with Tanglestar's appointment as leader, at least they had seemed to calm down and left ThunderClan alone.

"Let's go!" Galepaw followed Briarpaw to the crossing tree, and was just behind him as they slowly made their way across. ThunderClan and WindClan walked side by side, giving the two apprentices the chance to walk together. Briarpaw told her all about a hunt he had had recently, and she found herself so engrossed she'd forgotten where she was going.

"Galepaw!" She heard her mentor's voice over her shoulder and turned to see Onyxfeather staring at her with an exasperated expression. "Are you planning on going home with WindClan?" Galepaw saw that she'd walked with WindClan past the normal two tail-lengths from the shore. She flushed, embarrassed, and noticed some WindClan warriors snickering at her.

"Sorry," Briarpaw said loudly, "I was telling her a story and we both got a bit into it. See you later, Galepaw!" He said, smiling. Galepaw smiled back, and as she ran to join her mentor, she didn't notice Onyxfeather shaking her head and muttering; she could only feel happy and excited that she had found a new friend.

Galepaw found herself at the top of a slope leading down into a small clearing. She wondered if she were dreaming. She'd never been to this place before. The she-cat felt pulled towards the slope and descended it slowly, listening to the trickling sound of water. She stared into the surface and blinked. Reflected in the water were a thousand beautiful stars, five of which shone brighter than the others.

"Welcome, Galepaw," a voice said behind her. She jumped and flew around to face whoever had spoken. Three cats stood before her, their pelts shimmering with starlight like frost clinging to forest growth. There were two toms, a dark tabby and a ginger, and a grey she-cat with shimmering blue eyes.

"W-who are you?" Galepaw asked, feeling very small and insignificant when faced with the three powerful, stately cats.

"I am Firestar," the ginger tom said. Galepaw froze, staring up at them with huge eyes.

"T-then… you're… Bluestar…? And Bramblestar…?" She guessed, looking at the other cats.

"That is correct," Bramblestar meowed with a grave nod.

"Am I dreaming? Where am I?" Galepaw demanded.

"You are at the Moonpool," Bluestar replied evenly, "And yes, you aredreaming."

"Why have you come to see me? I thought you only walked in Medicine cats' dreams." Galepaw was distressed. She wondered why these cats from ThunderClan's past would be coming to see her. Was something wrong? Had she done something to offend StarClan? What if they wanted her to leave the Clans because of her half-Clan blood? Galepaw shrank back a little, scared of the three cats more than she had been before.

"It's Ok, Galepaw. We don't mean you any harm." Firestar meowed. Galepaw tried to relax, but she couldn't quite make herself stand up straight from her crouch.

"We have something to tell you." Bramblestar's voice was grave, as were his eyes. Galepaw looked from him to the other two cats and back.

"What is it?" She asked breathlessly.

"You are destined for great things, Galepaw," Bluestar meowed.

"You have a long journey ahead of you." Bramblestar added. Galepaw's eyes widened.

"A long journey…? But… but what about my Clan?"

"They will need you to take on this task," Firestar said, "And they will understand."

"So… so is this a prophecy? Is something bad going to happen that I have… have to try and stop? Why me? What can I do?" The words spilled from Galepaw's mouth in a jumble. Bluestar stepped forward and touched Galepaw's forehead with her muzzle. Instantly a cool, pleasant calmness settled over the apprentice.

"Your life is hard in ThunderClan," she murmured, "And you have worked equally hard for you place. But now, for the sake of that Clan, you must leave. We will watch over you."

"Can't you tell me why?" Galepaw choked, her eyes huge and sad.

"No," Bramblestar meowed, "We can only see so far ahead. The future is uncertain. But you will not be alone, Galepaw. There are others waiting for you. You must head towards the mountains, and you will find them." He turned, and Galepaw followed his gaze. She saw the five stars ahead, hovering over the distant shapes of mountains. She pricked her ears, feeling her heart stammer in her chest nervously. She whirled back around, her mouth open to ask another question, but the three cats were gone, leaving only sparkling stardust in their wake.

* * *

_(Author's Note: Thank you very much for reading my story! Please review/fav or whatever you are inclined to do! :) And if you are wondering, the chapters are named only in order of organization - therefore, each chapter will be titled with the name of the cat whose perspective you are reading from. Hope that clears some things up! Third chapter should be out soon. Again, thank you for your time! Hope you enjoyed!)_


	4. Chapter Three Cloud

_(Author's Note: I do not own warriors or any of Erin Hunter's characters - they are copyrighted to Harper Collins, ect. ect. But I do claim credit for my plot and OCS! Please enjoy the chapter!)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**.:/~*~\:.**

**Chapter Three**

Sunrise had long passed, and the stones were warm beneath the tom's paws. He crept along the rock face, his pale grey body plastered with mud so that it blended in with his mountainous surroundings. His pale gold eyes glittered with excitement as he raised his tail, balancing himself to spring. His unsuspecting prey was a large hawk, crouched over a mouse with its dangerously curved beak tearing at its kill's flesh. The tomcat stayed perfectly still for a single heartbeat, and then sprung forward. The hawk barely had time to register what had happened when its neck was crushed by the sharp teeth of another hunter.

"Great catch, Cloud!" The tom looked up at the she-cat that had spoken. Rustle of Leaves was sitting with her tail curled over her paws, watching him coolly. Clouds Touching the Earth flinched at her gaze.

"I was just-"

"I know what you were doing." She interrupted. The graceful tabby she-cat bounced down to join him, her green eyes glittering warmly. She nudged his flank with her muzzle. "You should crouch just a little lower if you want to have more power in your spring. Though, I must say, for a Cave-guard, you have very good form." Rustle of Leaves smiled mischeviously.

"You mean you won't tell Stoneteller?" Clouds Touching the Earth asked, relief creeping into his voice.

"Tell him what? That I caught this delicious morsel of prey all by myself and had you carry it back to camp for me? Of course I'll tell him that, if he cares to ask, which I doubt he will."

"You're amazing, Leaf," Cloud said with a fond smile.

"Why thank you," the she-cat meowed with a regal toss of her head. She grinned at him and then turned towards a small dip in the cliffs. "Let's get back to camp." The two cats walked in silence as they made their way towards the waterfall that hid the home of the Tribe of Rushing Water. Cloud always loved warm days in the mountains, when the sun warmed the rocks and eased the chill of the biting wind. Before they entered the caves, the cats washed their fur off until they looked normal, without the streaks of mud that hid them among their hunting territory. Clouds Touching the Earth had a much more distinct pelt than his Tribekin. It was a faint grey-silver color with even fainter rosette markings and rings of dark fur around his tail. According to his mother, he had inherited his strange coloring mostly from his great-great-grandfather, Stormfur, who had joined them after his Tribe had moved through the Tribe's territory. He had been the one to organize the Tribe and had brought his "Clan" traditions to show them a better way of guarding their territory. After the Stoneteller at the time had died, Stormfur had become the Healer of the Tribe.

"Is that you, Leaf?" Water Glinting in Sun padded towards them as they slipped into the large cavern that was their Tribe's home. The grey-and-white tom stared at her with wide, honey-amber eyes. "We've been looking for you! I thought we were going on a hunt?"

"Sorry," Rustle of Leaves meowed, "I got distracted." Her eyes glittered as she looked at Clouds Touching the Earth.

"Is that prey?" Moon Rising over Mountain poked his head from one of the tunnels leading to the other chambers.

"Yep," Leaf meowed, "You're welcome to it."

"Not for me," Moon said quickly, "The Elders need something. They've been fussing all morning."

"Doesn't surprise me," Water Glinting in Sun muttered. "They always complain."

"And they have a right to," a voice spoke behind the cats. They turned around quickly and Cloud felt his heart stutter as he met the red-amber gaze of the Tribe Healer, Teller of the Pointed Stones.

"Of course, Stoneteller," Rustle of Leaves murmured with a respectful bow of her head.

"And now," the leader continued, as if he hadn't noticed her, "I want you to lead a patrol around the southern border, Moon. Take Cloud and Sun with you."

"Yes, Stoneteller," Moon said with a slight dip of his head. Teller of the Pointed Stones gave a curt nod, then padded towards the back of the cave, where the tunnel leading to his den was.

"I'll take the prey to the elders," Rustle of Leaves offered. Clouds Touching the Earth nudged the bird and mouse towards her and she scooped them up, bustling off without another word.

"Well," Water Glinting in Sun drawled with a long, lazy yawn, "Why don't we get on, then?" The other toms nodded, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Cloud sighed crossly and turned to see one of the To-bes, Brush that Rests on Cliff Face, rushing after them with his dark fur sticking up at all angles and his green eyes wide.

"What is it, Brush?" Sun demanded.

"I want to go, too!" The young tom exclaimed.

"You're a Prey-hunter," Cloud reminded the cat patiently, "You can't come on patrol with us."

"But I don't wanna be a Prey-hunter!" Brush cried indignantly.

"You're too small to be of much use as a Cave-guard," Moon pointed out frankly.

"I'm not!" Brush growled.

"Brush," Cloud said after a long, tense pause, "I really wish you could come. But what would I tell Stoneteller if I took you away before he could tell you about your special training?"

"What training?" Brush asked, his ears perked.

"Some training for Prey-hunters that are strong enough to learn some Cave-guard moves. If you stay, maybe you'll learn some and get to come on lots of other patrols in the future." Brush's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Oh yes," Cloud said with a nod.

"Ok!" Brush dashed off, leaving the three tops staring after him.

"That was a cruel lie, Cloud," Sun pointed out.

"It actually wasn't a lie," the faintly spotted tom said with a smirk. "I talked to Stoneteller about training some of the Prey-hunters to fight so that they could come and hunt with us on patrols. He wasn't adverse to the idea." The other toms stared at him as he made his way towards the waterfall. He cast a glance over his shoulder.

"Well?" He asked. "Coming?"

The southern border was the most perilous for the Tribe cats. There were many drop offs and gaps in the path, making it difficult to maneuver. It was easier for Prey-hunters, who were light and agile. The Cave-guards were stronger, but also bulkier. Clouds Touching the Earth found it easier than most of his patrol – he practiced often to make himself as sure-footed as any Prey-hunter, and as able to stalk and kill prey. Normally a Cave-guard never learned, but Cloud had watched his Tribekin and had secretly practiced until he was as efficient as any other cat. At that moment, only Rustle of Leaves knew, and he trusted her to keep quiet about it. It had always been Cloud's dream to be a Prey-hunter. He wasn't like Brush, always wanting a masculine role he could use as an excuse to flex his muscles. Cloud wanted to feel as though he were providing for his Tribe. He sighed, wishing he and Brush could have been born in each other's places.

"What's eating your tail?" Moon asked, looking skeptical.

"Nothing," Cloud responded at once – maybe too quickly.

"Yeah, I'll bet," Sun muttered.

"Anyways," Moon continued on, looking up and down the cliffs, "I don't see any trouble. I wonder why Stoneteller wanted us to check this border; Skull and his posse are camped near the north, after all."

"Maybe he's had a sign," Sun suggested.

"Could be," Moon murmured.

"Well, I-" Cloud ceased talking and motioned for the patrol to get down. They obeyed immediately, their belly fur brushing the warm stone as they crept after Cloud. The grey tom was glad he'd decided to streak his fur. He felt safe and secret, hidden from the possibility of danger.

"No," a voice – the one that Cloud had heard a moment before – was speaking as they came within earshot, "The Tribe cats don't often come near here. They wouldn't expect it."

"That's good," another voice, colder and softer, responded slowly.

"It's been a long time," the first voice said. Cloud peeked around the outcropping he and his Tribekin were hidden behind. He could see that the first speaker was a thin cream tom – Skull. The other was an even thinner cat, though he looked more naturally so. He had overlarge brown ears and a mask around his biting green eyes.

"Yes," the masked tom said, "A long time."

"You've been doing well for yourself, it would seem," Skull continued, his cold grey eyes staring at the other cat with a sort of respect in them. Cloud was instantly wary of the brown-masked cat. Skull had been a thorn in the Tribe's side ever since he came to live in the mountains. If he had any inch of respect for any cat, it would be one imposing enemy to Cloud and his family.

"My dream will be realized," the masked tom replied evenly, "I will not fail."

"Well," Skull drawled with a low, thin-toothed smile, "Count me in."

Cloud's heartbeat stutter in his chest as he hurried back towards the cave, his Tribekin stumbling after him.

"Slow down, Cloud!" Sun entreated.

"I can't! You heard Skull! He's teamed up with that dark-faced cat and they're planning something!" Cloud exclaimed. Sun and Moon exchanged a glance. The two toms obviously weren't making the exchange out to be the problem that Cloud could see it was.

"Whatever," Cloud said over his shoulder, "I'm going to go report to Stoneteller." He sprinted ahead, ignoring his Tribekin's calls for him to come back. He leaped over a long gap and landed with practiced agility, his powerful muscles rippling as she streaked low to the ground across the sun-warmed stones of his mountain home. He rushed past the pool and the waterfall, getting his fur soaked as he padded too quickly into the cave and almost slipped. He rushed straight past his startled Tribekin into the Cave of Pointed Stones.

"Stoneteller!" He cried, panting. The dark-furred tom turned to stare at him, his eyes distant.

"Ah," Stoneteller breathed, his gaze snapping into focus, "Clouds Touching the Earth. What have you to tell me?"

"Skull was there, at the southern border," Cloud meowed, "With some cat I didn't know. He had a dark face, but the rest of him was like Skull. I think he was asking Skull to help him, and Skull… h-he agreed. He seemed to really respect the cat." Cloud finished breathlessly.

"That is troubling news," Stoneteller sighed. "But not unpredicted." His eyes slowly studied Cloud from ears to paws, as if he were trying to decide something about the young Cave-guard. "Come to the pools," he said at last.

"Huh?" Cloud asked, confused.

"Touch your nose to the water." Stoneteller motioned to the glittering pool nearest the Cave-guard. "The Tribe of Endless Hunting have told me they wish to speak with you."

Clouds Touching the Earth opened his eyes and found himself in another cave that was not altogether different from the one he had left. In fact, as he looked around, he saw Stoneteller sitting beside his body, watching him as he dreamed.

"Welcome," a chorus of voices spoke behind him. Cloud whipped around, his eyes widening. Standing before him were many cats, looking wild and wise and strong. Cloud gulped nervously, wondering if they were angry with him for learning to be a Prey-hunter in secret.

"Young one," a gentle, heartachingly familiar voice murmured. A grey she-cat padded from the midst of Cloud's starry ancestors, her pelt tingling with glitter like fallen stars.

"Mother," Cloud murmured, touching noses with her as she reached him. She was followed by four other cats. Cloud only recognized his father, Stands Among shaded Stones. His mother, Light that Falls upon the Pool, smiled gently at him as she always used to and purred as she brushed her muzzle against his.

"I've missed you, dearest," she whispered in his ear.

"I've missed you, too," Cloud said, his voice breaking.

"We're proud of you," Stone meowed, nodding his head approvingly. Cloud pricked his ears forward, feeling a pleasant warmth fill his chest. His father had rarely praised him in life. He was glad, somehow, that he could earn his father's regard after his passing.

"And now," the dark grey tom beside his father meowed, "We have a task for you, Clouds Touching the Earth." Cloud blinked, surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," his mother said with a teasing glimmer in her eye.

"There are cats suffering beyond the mountains," a small brown-grey she-cat meowed, her kind eyes fixed on Cloud's face with a soft expression. "And that suffering will come here, if something is not done."

"Does this have anything to do with Skull?" Cloud asked.

"Yes," the dark tom meowed. "It has everything to do with him. And nothing."

"Well, that's very clear, thanks," Cloud muttered. The dark tom smiled.

"I'm sorry, Cloud," he meowed. "Even the Tribe of Endless Hunting cannot see everything, and can tell even less."

"That's encouraging."

"Will you not accept this task, then?" This came from the last cat – a she-cat. She had not spoken before, and her beautiful voice entranced Cloud at once. She was silver, with starlight in her fur as all the other cats had. But there was something different about her. She was more beautiful in some way, even if Cloud couldn't exactly say how.

"I… I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?" Cloud inquired.

"You must travel north," the she-cat replied. "And find others who will help you in your quest."

"Ok… but what _is _my quest?"

"You will soon found out," the dark tom muttered.

"You'll just have to trust us, son," Stone said. Cloud looked at the cats and sighed.

"But I don't even know some of you."

"We're kin," the dark tom meowed with a crooked smile. It was the sort of smile that made Cloud think he was a good-natured sort of cat.

"We are?" Cloud asked curiously.

"Yes. I am Stormfur," the tom said.

"Then…" Cloud turned to the smaller she-cat beside him.

"I am Brook where Small Fish Swims," she said with a smile. Cloud's eyes widened. He'd always wanted to meet his great-great-great-grandparents. He'd heard so many stories about them. And Stormfur… he had been Stoneteller once. Wisdom shone in the tom's eyes like a powerful light.

"And you?" Cloud turned to the slender silver she-cat.

"I am Feathertail," she said. Cloud caught his breath. Feathertail? Stormfur's sister, the cat that had saved the Clan from Sharptooth? But she was so _small…_ At least compared to Stormfur or Stone or even his mother.

"It's… it's really an honor to meet you." Cloud said.

"And we are pleased to finally speak with you, too," Brook meowed with a fond sort of look in her eye.

"But now is not the time for greetings," Stormfur interrupted, his expression grave, "We must know your answer, Cloud. Will you accept this destiny that you ancestors have laid upon you?"

Cloud was suddenly plunged into darkness. He blinked a few times and found himself back in the Cave of Pointed Stones. He took a deep breath, and then stood up. The tom turned and saw Stoneteller watching him closely.

"Did our ancestors speak with you?" He inquired.

"Yes," Cloud said mechanically. Stoneteller looked surprised.

"It looks as though you've been struck in the forehead with a boulder."

"That's kind of what it feels like, too." Stoneteller stared at him and then his gaze softened.

"You have many travels before you. You should get some sleep." Cloud looked up, surprised.

"How did you…?"

"I've seen the signs in the stars," said Stoneteller. "I've seen them since you were born. I always knew the day would come when our ancestors chose to tell you your destiny." Cloud tried to grasp that idea, but failed. He bowed his head.

"I don't think I can do that," he said quietly.

"The Tribe of Endless Hunting will give you strength," his Tribe Healer promised. Cloud looked up and him and then nodded slowly, feeling strengthened.

"Ok," he murmured with one last sigh, "I guess it's off to my destiny I go, then."

* * *

_(Author's Note: Thank you for reading and big thankies to my reviewers! You've all made me one happy Lioness! :D_

_I appreciate all comments/critiques and I hope you enjoyed! Next up is Sohnya again! I'd love to hear what you guys think of my characters, so please feel free to share any thoughts or feelings about the pro/antagonists of LOTS! _


	5. Chapter Four Sohnya

_(Author's Note: I do not own warriors or any of Erin Hunter's characters! I do however claim credit for my plot and OCs! Please enjoy)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**.:/~*~\:.**

**Chapter Four**

Sohnya's eyes flickered open slowly. She stared forward for a few moments, confused. Where was she? Then she felt the warmth and softness beneath her paws, the brush of fur as Riddle sighed and rolled over beside her. She turned and saw his eyes were open and he was staring up at the top of the box they'd slept in.

"Did you have a nice dream?" Sohnya asked, watching his face. He turned and looked at her, his expression hard to read.

"It was fine," he said. "You?" Sohnya didn't respond at first. She thought about seeing the grey tom, Jayfeather, standing in her dream with his cloudy blue eyes fixed on her and his tail twitching irritably.

_"I need to speak with you, or at least someone does," _he'd said. _"Meet me in that pool's dream tomorrow night." _He had motioned to Riddle's, as if that were an easy thing. Sohnya had only caught a glimpse of what her new friend had been thinking of in his sleep, and she didn't really want to know anymore. She got up and padded out into the open slowly, clumsily. She stretched as best she could, and then licked her bare shoulder, sighing at the unnatural rounded bone where a leg should be.

"What happened, if I may ask?" Riddle emerged beside her, his eyes gentle and not overbearing. He was curious, but she could see he would respect her decision if she decided not to tell him.

"A Twoleg monster almost killed me," Sohnya replied. "Its Twoleg jumped out and was very sorry and took me to the medicine-Twoleg. My leg was too badly hurt, though, so he cut it off." Sohnya meowed, no inflection in her voice. It was almost as if she were speaking of some other cat, not herself. Riddle's eyes shone with sympathy.

"That must be difficult," he said.

"Sometimes," Sohnya admitted, "But I've gotten used to it." She was about to ask Riddle about food when she heard some loud yowling nearby. She pricked her ears, swiveling her head around to try and find the source of the ruckus.

"Sounds like some cat's in trouble," Riddle said, leaping forward so quickly Sohnya was almost disoriented for a moment. The tom paused and looked over his shoulder at her.

"Will you be alright?" He asked. Sohnya lunged forward, her hindlegs propelling her and her foreleg catching her body on each jerking motion. It wasn't graceful, but it was quick, for her. Riddle adjusted his pace and they ran together, side-by-side. They leaped onto a fence and looked over into one of the gardens Riddle had warned her about. They saw two shapes pinned against a nearby stone wall, a huge black dog cornering them and growling threateningly.

"What do we do?" Riddle sounded tense. The dog was too big for them, Sohnya knew. She could see that the dog had trapped two ginger cats. One of them was cowering, his eyes huge, while the other laughed in the dog's face. _Is he mouse-brained? _Sohnya wondered.

"Told you we'd totally find some fun!" The short-haired ginger tom yowled, lunging forward. The black dog snapped at him, but he sidestepped the attack gracefully and drove his claws across the dog's face. It yelped and backed up a few paces. Sohnya's eyes lit up. She crawled along the fence, making sure the dog didn't notice her – neither did the cat.

"Stop that, Jace!" The long-haired tom implored. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"Right," Jace scoffed. He reared up on his hindlegs and slashed at the dog's muzzle again. _Just a bit more… _Sohnya thought, poising herself on the fence. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Riddle looking around, and then he saw her and called out her name. _NOW!_

"Take this, fleabag!" Sohnya called out, leaping. She crashed into a flowerpot that was hanging against the fence. It toppled over, landing on the dog's back. The dog yelped in pain and ran towards the Twoleg nest, its tail between its legs. Sohnya landed clumsily, a throb of pain searing up her shoulder when she landed on it. She got up slowly, covered in dirt from the broken flowerpot.

"We'd better get out of here," Riddle called. "I hear the Twolegs yelling!" Sohnya tried to get to her paws but fell over clumsily. The two ginger toms had turned and were on top of the fence. Riddle was looking down at her, alarmed.

"Sohnya!" He called. Suddenly a red blur passed in front of her – the short-haired tom.

"For the love of catmint!" The short-haired tom, Jace, muttered. He grasped Sohnya by the scruff and hauled her to her paws, then shoved her towards the fence. By this time, the Twoleg shouting had grown quite loud, and the door to the nest flew open with a bang. Sohnya leaped to safety just as something red landed beside her, exploding into a bunch of tiny pieces – another flowerpot.

"Come on!" The long-haired tom called, gesturing to the others to follow him. Sohnya lurched ahead, feeling Jace's presence at her side propelling her forward. Riddle came behind them, shouting at them to keep moving. Finally the long-haired tom led them through a small tunnel and they emerged into the clearing that Riddle had led Sohnya through the previous night.

"We should be safe here," Jace's companion said with a slow nod, sitting down and staring at his brother accusingly. While the other cats panted, Jace didn't seem winded at all.

"I know what you're going to say," he meowed with a solemn dip of his head, "'Jace, you're such a mouse-brain! How could you get us into trouble? Why do you always do things like this? Why can't you behave for once?' But I tell ya, that dog was askin' for it! If I hadn't stood up to him he-"

"Wait, you actually faced that dog… on purpose?" Sohnya asked disbelievingly. The two ginger toms looked at her.

"Jace is an idiot," the long-haired tom said just as Jace said, "I'm awesome that way." They looked at each other and then both broke out into fits of sneezing laughter. Sohnya and Riddle stared at them, appalled.

"I'm Jace," the tom said when he finally calmed himself down, "And this is my brother Jaeger. We live in the Twoleg nest over there." He gestured with his tail.

"I haven't seen you around," Jaeger meowed, gesturing to Sohnya.

"I live wherever I feel like living." She replied briskly. Jace and Jaeger cast each other a glance.

"So, you're a street-cat, huh? Well, to each his own, I guess." Jaeger shrugged.

"I think it would be fun to live out in the wilderness, with nothin' but adventure and thrills and… adventure!" Jace exclaimed. Sohnya wondered if he really _was _stupid, or if he just acted like he was.

"Yeah, and cold and famine and fear. No thanks," Jaeger grumbled.

"It's not as bad as all that," Riddle meowed. Sohnya said nothing, not really thinking it important for her to point out that yes, it _was_ as bad as all that. At least it was for a lame she-cat with no chance of living a normal life. Even if she wanted to find a Twoleg to care for her, which she didn't, most of them thought she was disgusting and ugly and would throw things at her. She'd never be able to find a home.

"Well, thanks for the help, anyway," Jace said to Sohnya. She nodded, lost in thought for a moment but brought back by the tom's cheerful voice. She then noticed something strange – a marking on his leg. It was a gathering of black fur, which stood out since the rest of him was bright ginger with cream-white streaks.

"That's an odd marking," she commented.

"I think it's cool," Jace meowed, "It looks kinda like a star." Sohnya flicked hear ear and his eyes widened.

"Hey, you have a mark on your ear that looks like mine! How strange…" He frowned at her, as if there was something about her that confused or worried him. Sohnya felt uncomfortable, so she turned to Riddle and was about to suggest they go when Jaeger said, "So, are you two hungry?" Her eyes whipped around, saliva pooling in her mouth at the thought of food.

"Yeah, it's the least we can do," Jace said.

"What sort of food?" Sohnya asked suspiciously.

"Fish," Jaeger said. "We know this place. It's pretty good, and there's always plenty." After a moment's thought, Sohnya looked at Riddle. He was smiling at her, as if he were all for it. She nodded.

"Ok," she complied. The two kittypets nodded and led them through the Twolegplace, towards the edge of Twoleg nests. Sohnya had never ventured so far before, and she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Jaeger motioned to a fence, and together they jumped onto it. The brothers seemed impressed by Sohnya's ability to cope without her leg. She ignored their admiring looks and stared forward into a small wood. The trees were tall and dark, and Sohnya could see a small stream running through it.

"Fish… in there?" She asked skeptically.

"Yep," Jace replied, "Plenty." Not bothering to wait for them, Sohnya started forward towards the water. Riddle was at her side in an instant, seeming surprised by her speed. When it came to food, Sohnya was all business. She padded up to the streamlet's bank, staring down into the crystal water. She could see the stream's pebbly bottom, and a flash of silver as a fish wiggled past her. The tortoiseshell she-cat lowered herself to her belly, balancing her leg over the water. She lashed out at the fish and sprayed Riddle in the face, almost falling into the water in the process.

"Hey!" He squeaked, wincing at the cold water running down his nose and clinging to his whiskers.

"Sorry!" Sohnya cried, flushing. She was embarrassed by her mistake until she saw Jaeger nodding understandingly.

"First time," he sighed, "Always the hardest." He paused at the streamside and watched the water, his paw raised. He struck out and curled his paw with a skilled move, hooking a fish out of the water with ease. It landed on the bank, where Jace pounced on it and bit down on its neck. It twitched a few times more, and then fell still.

"Wow," Sohnya breathed.

"It's easy," Jace told her with an easygoing smile, "You just have to know when to strike. And don't let your shadow fall across the water – the fish will avoid it. Give it another go." Sohnya turned back to the water, encouraged by the kittypet's words. She wondered how she was going to keep her shadow off the water – she had to lean over the bank to be able to maneuver her one forelimb. She saw the kittypets watching her closely, looking concerned. She always saw Riddle's tense muscles – he was ready to pull her out if she fell in, apparently. Sohnya inched her leg out, making sure the shadow fell towards the bank and not across the next fish's path. It wiggled closer, and she twisted her shoulder the rest of the way and threw the fish onto the bank – actually, at least a tail-length from the bank. Jaeger ran after it, biting its neck and carrying it back to the group, laying it beside his own catch.

"Very good," he said, obviously pleased. "You are surprisingly well adapted to your injury. I am certainly impressed." He meowed, nodding. Sohnya usually didn't like cats commenting on her disability, but she sort of enjoyed the praise of the young tom. She turned and saw Riddle smiling at her widely.

"Way-to-go!" Jace exclaimed.

"You should be careful, though," Jaeger said with a somber expression on his face, "You might fall in." Jace nudged him playfully, and the two began to argue again. Sohnya relaxed, listening and yet thinking too deeply to really notice what they were saying. Riddle sat beside her, smirking. She felt, for the first time in a very long time, that she was a part of something – maybe like a family, maybe like a group of friends. Either way, she felt like she belonged for once. She felt…

Home.

The day passed by too quickly for Sohnya's liking. She wished she could stop time so that Jace and Jaeger didn't have to go home, and that Riddle would always be beside her, laughing his deep but warm laugh that seemed to shake the very earth around her. She liked seeing him happy. Somehow it comforted her. His dream had been like a memory – or at least the aura had – and she thought that if he could overcome such a horrible past, then there would be hope for her, too. Before her, the two kittypets stopped and turned to face the alley cats.

"This is our stop," Jaeger informed them. Sohnya looked up at the Twoleg nest they had motioned to. It was made of red stone, and was larger than most of the ones Sohnya had seen before. The garden wasn't even fenced in, which gave the yard a very open feel.

"Our Twolegs always let us out," Jace meowed. "They don't mind us wandering. Why, I left for a whole week once and they just seemed happy to see me when I got back."

"They were worried for you," Jaeger scolded. Jace shrugged.

"They hardly noticed, I should think. Anyways, nice meeting you two. We'll see ya around some time." Jace nodded to them, then ran towards his Twoleg's nest. Jaeger dipped his head and then followed. Sohnya waited until they had slipped through a small opening in the door, their bell-less collars beeping softly, before she turned to Riddle.

"Well," she meowed. "They were very interesting, to say the least."

"Stronger than other kittypets I've met," Riddle said with a nod. "Especially Jace." Sohnya nodded slowly.

"It seems so." There was a moment of silence, and then Riddle gestured towards an alley with his tail.

"Shall we go back to the box-den for tonight?" He asked. Sohnya felt thrilled that he would offer, and she was almost too happy to speak. She managed a weak, "Ok," and then they were off. As she curled up into the soft Twoleg fabric inside the box she sighed contentedly. It didn't matter that her shoulder ached, or that she hadn't been as good as Jaeger or Jace or even Riddle at catching fish. All that mattered was a friend beside her, with warm fur pressed against her back and a soft voice saying "good night" as she fell asleep.

The dream-world always looked strange when she had a specific pool in mind. The auras were brighter, seemingly pointing the way to whatever place she needed to be. Sohnya trotted towards Riddle's pool, knowing it well by its shimmering aura. She hesitated, staring into it warily. But she relaxed, glad to find only a bright forest dappled with sunlight as her new friend ran through his memories, a bright smile on his face. She dipped her head and touched the surface of the pool with her nose, feeling the weight of dream-sleep fall over her.

The forest was even brighter when she was standing there. Riddle ran past, not seeing her glittering form – she was rarely ever visible to the dreamer, unless she wanted to be. Sohnya wondered what she was going to do next. Jayfeather had told her to meet him here, in Riddle's dream. So where was he?

"Hey," a voice said behind her. She jumped around, startled. Jayfeather was standing there, his grey fur looking soft as a kit's and his blue eyes fixed on her face with an amused glint in them. He was flanked by four other cats, who stared at her curiously.

"H-hello," Sohnya stammered.

"So she's yours?" A masked she-cat asked, staring at Sohnya closely.

"Yes," the cat beside her said. She was a tortoiseshell, like Sohnya, only darker. "She is Marked."

"What, you mean this?" Sohnya asked, flicking her ear, where the black birthmark shaped like a star was. The tortoiseshell nodded slowly.

"Yes," she said. "That is what I meant."

"So who are you all?" Sohnya demanded.

"Well you know me," Jayfeather meowed dryly. "That one there," he gestured to the first she-cat, "Is Callie. This one," he gestured to a tabby she-cat who was looking at Sohnya uncertainly, "Is Leafstar of SkyClan. Beside her is Stormfur, of the Tribe of Rushing Water. The other one is Crowstar of WindClan." Jayfeather dipped his head to a slender dark tom who dipped his head. "And that one's Nameless." He gestured to the tortoiseshell.

"She doesn't have a name?" Sohnya asked, confused.

"No," the tortoiseshell replied, "My name is Nameless."

"Oh. Ok…" Sohnya murmured warily.

"We have asked you here because we are in need of your help." Leafstar said. Sohnya looked at the starry-furred cats and wondered what they could possibly need her for. They seemed powerful and regal – only Nameless had the look of a street-cat, and even she was beautiful and well fed.

"What do you need me for?" Sohnya asked suspiciously. She didn't know what to think of these five cats. Why had they come? She couldn't begin to guess, and that fact made her unspeakably nervous.

"A prophecy," the dark tom, Crowstar, said, "One that will change everything."

"Oh. Well that's very helpful and not vague at all." Sohnya muttered, feeling a bit irritated. Why had these cats come to her for this "prophecy" thing? Why should she care?

"You must meet the other cats that are Marked," Crowstar went on, as if Sohnya hadn't spoken, "And then together you will know what to do."

"Alright, then, but what exactly is this prophecy you're speaking of?" Sohnya demanded. The cat around her seemed to glitter, and their voices rose up in unison, creating a beautiful but terrifying sound that seemed to fill the entire forest in Riddle's dream.

_"As three came to drive away the forsaken spirits, so will five come to cleanse all cats of poison."_

Sohnya was hurtled out of the dream with a force that reminded her of the Twoleg monster – so much so that she darted away, yowling in fright.

"Are you Ok?" Riddle looked a little startled, too. But then, the starry cats' voices must have jostled him from his dream. She met his gaze and then looked away quickly.

"I'm fine," she murmured.

"Bad dream?" Riddle asked gently.

"Yes." Sohnya said at last. _Except it wasn't mine. Or at least… not really. _"Hey Riddle," she meowed, looking up suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"You remember Jace's marking, right?"

"Uh… yeah. The one on his leg, that looked sort of like yours."

"Yes, that…"

"What about it?" Sohnya stared forward for a few moments, her heart stuttering a little in her chest as she remembered her dream.

"I think we have to go find him again… There's something I have to ask him about."

* * *

_(Author's Note: Ga-ha! Suspense! . I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please comment! The next chapter will be featuring Gale-kins again (are we in a pattern here?). Hope you are looking forward to it! There will be major plot-twists... mwahaha...)_


	6. Chapter Five Galepaw

_(Author's Note: I do not own warriors or Erin Hunter's characters (as you must know by now). But I do, however, claim credit for my characters/plot. Thank you so much for reading and please enjoy)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**.:/~*~\:.**

**Chapter Five**

Galepaw glanced out of the apprentices' den, into the silent camp. The moon was floating high overhead, and lit most of the hollow in its ghostly light. Her Clanmates were all asleep, which meant this was an excellent time to make her escape. She'd been planning to leave for days now, but it was difficult for her to say goodbye – possibly forever – to the home she'd always known. Her stomach felt like a jumble of knots as she made her way towards the hidden exit that every cat knew about, located near the rear of the camp, where stones had crumbled down, leaving a climbable escape from the high walls.

"And where do you think _you're _going?" Galepaw nearly squeaked with fright as she whirled around and saw Brittlewhisker glaring at her. Her heart plummeted into her stomach, knowing that this wouldn't be easy to explain.

"Hunting," she said with a shrug. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought…"

"Apprentices shouldn't be sneaking off. Or are you going to visit your WindClan friend? The tom…?" Brittlewhisker's eyes narrowed. Galepaw's anxiety was instantly replaced by fury. She glared at Brittlewhisker, feeling a cold disdain for the Medicine cat.

"I am not my father," she growled. "Although, I sometimes wish I were. Then I could have the privilege of spitting in your face that _yes_, I am like my father, and I would be proud of that fact." Her eyes burned with passion as she spoke, and she was glad to see Brittlewhisker look rather taken aback.

"You insolent…"

"I have to go now." She said calmly, turning her back on him. He was so stunned, he didn't even seem capable of stopping her – or maybe he just didn't care. Either way, Galepaw felt a small satisfaction that she wouldn't be seeing him for a while. She made sure to go hunting while still on her territory, catching a swallow and eating it hastily before continuing on, towards the WindClan border. As she crossed the stream, with the cold water lapping at her belly fur, she thought about what would happen if she were to never come back. Would her Clanmates miss her? Would Briarpaw be sad that they would never get to talk together again? Galepaw sighed, walking along the lakeside and thinking about everything she was leaving behind. WindClan's territory was very open, she noticed after a time. The night wind bit at her fur and chilled her until she felt stiff and miserable. She wished she was back in her warm nest, not out on this strange quest that a bunch of dead cats had given her. She looked up into the sky and sighed.

"Oh StarClan… what am I doing?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Galepaw leaped into the air, her fur bristling. She whirled around and was surprised to see Briarpaw standing, alone, looking at her with a perplexed and wary expression on his face.

"B-Briarpaw! What are you doing here?"

"My mentor was teaching me to hunt at night," he meowed, "Then he went back to camp and I came here to practice. But I think the better question here is… what are _you _doing here? Spying for ThunderClan?" He asked, his neck fur standing up a little.

"No!" Galepaw snapped, a bit irritated at the suspicion in his eyes. This wasn't at all like the gathering. But then, she _was _trespassing in his Clan's territory. She couldn't expect him to be nice about it.

"Then what _are _you doing?" Briarpaw demanded. Galepaw sighed.

"StarClan is sending me away." She said finally. He stared at her blankly.

"What?"

"I'm just passing through, Ok?" She snapped, fed up. He didn't need to know anything. She'd be out of his fur soon – out of every cat's fur. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She'd be gone soon enough without him yelling at her to get off his Clan's territory.

"Why is StarClan sending you away?" Instead of looking angry, Briarpaw looked startled and concerned. But Galepaw wasn't in the mood to talk about it.

"They say I've got some prophecy thing to fulfill, but it's probably an excuse to make me leave," she sighed. "Whatever. If my Clan follows me, which I doubt they will, tell them I ran off." She meowed wearily.

"I won't," Briarpaw said. She glared at him.

"Oh yes you will."

"No, I won't."

"Fine, then, have it your way." Galepaw snapped irritably.

"I won't tell them," Briarpaw continued, "Because I'm going with you."

No matter how many times she told him to go back, Briarpaw still insisted on following her. The two were still together when they came to the edge of WindClan territory, where their border with RiverClan was located.

"You can go back now," Galepaw said with a wave of her tail.

"Nope," Briarpaw meowed. "If you go, I go."

"This is _my _destiny, not yours." Galepaw snapped. "Besides, what about your warrior name? Your Clan? Doesn't that mean _anything_ to you?" Briarpaw looked a bit sad.

"Yeah, of course," he murmured. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you do this alone."

"I won't be alone."

"Sure you won't be," he said, "'Cause I'm coming." She sighed, giving up on convincing the dumb tom to do what was best for him. She was secretly glad that he was coming, but she'd never admit that. Dawn was well on the way when the two cats finally left Clan territory. Galepaw cast one last glance over her shoulder and then, with a sigh, she turned her back on all she'd ever known.

"So," Briarpaw said as they walked up a small slope that overlooked the Horseplace. Galepaw looked at him out of the corner of her eye, flicking her ear to signal that she was listening. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Towards the mountains," Galepaw replied.

"And that's it? That's all you've got?" Briarpaw stared at her, his eyes huge. Galepaw shrugged.

"StarClan wouldn't tell me much. But I trust them." Her companion was silent as they came to a long wooden fence. On the other side of it, several huge black and white beasts were grazing peacefully.

"Whoa!" The two apprentices breathed.

"What _is_ that thing?" Briarpaw whispered in Galepaw's ear.

"I think it's a cow," she replied. She remembered hearing stories about the Clans' coming to the lake – and some of the obstacles that they had faced. Galepaw thought she remembered learning that cows were not very threatening, but she was finding that hard to believe as she stared down at their huge cobbled feet.

"So, will they stomp on us, you think?" Briarpaw muttered, echoing Galepaw's thoughts. She shook her head slowly.

"I don't think so," she said. "They don't seem like they'd be interested in stomping cats. Let's go." Briarpaw followed her reluctantly under the fence and towards the big beasts. The cows looked at them and made a strange mournful sound that hurt Galepaw's ears. She looked up at the nearest cow, which turned and sniffed her loudly with its huge, wet muzzle. Galepaw flinched but didn't move. The cow nuzzled her a little and then went back to eating. Galepaw let out a huge sigh of relief. She saw that Briarpaw was being perused by a different cow. This one sneezed on him, covering his wiry tabby fur with snot.

"_Mrrrrow! _That's a good look on you!" Galepaw exclaimed, laughing as she trotted towards the other end of the field. Briarpaw followed, grimacing.

"Don't make me rub it off on you," he said as he caught up to her.

"You wouldn't dare!" Galepaw glared at him. Briarpaw gave her a mischevious sort of glance, and then pounced at her. She squeaked and dashed towards the fence, her paws flying over the turf. Briarpaw chased after her, his long WindClan limbs making him much faster than Galepaw.

"Got you!" Briarpaw cried, pouncing on her. They rolled into the fence, a tangle of paws and tails and fur. Galepaw shoved him off, unable to hide a bout of laughter.

"We'd best be concentrating our energy on our journey, mouse-brain," she meowed. Briarpaw looked amused, though, as they walked together out of the field and onto the next patch of ground. He didn't say much, which suited Galepaw fine. She wanted to think, to figure out just what sort of prophecy she'd been dumped into.

"Hey Galepaw," Briarpaw interrupted her thoughts. She turned and looked at him. "Uh, maybe we should stop and hunt… after all, um…" He shuffled his paws and grimaced as his belly growled loudly. Galepaw blinked, and then realized that while she had made sure to hunt before she left, Briarpaw hadn't eaten anything.

"Sure," she meowed. "It's probably a good time to stop and rest anyway." She looked up into the sky. The day was already fading, making her heart ache in a way she hadn't ever felt before. By now, her Clanmates knew she was gone. What would Brittlewhisker tell them? That she had ran away? That was probably best. But the thought of Wolfstar's disappointment, Larkmoon's sadness, Onyxfeather… What if she never saw her mentor again? Galepaw thought of all the things that Onyxfeather had taught her, the things she had shown her and shared with her, and it made her feel sick.

"Hey, Galepaw… you Ok?" Galepaw started, looking at Briarpaw. He had his calm yellow eyes fixed on her face, and while he wore a smile it was a sort of hesitant one. Galepaw nodded absentmindedly.

"Let's hunt," she sighed. The apprentice cast a glance at their surroundings – they had come to a small ravine, and there was a patch of woods nearby. She could hunt there, while Briarpaw could take the meadow. He seemed to be aware of her intentions, and without another word he trotted off towards the open plains, leaving Galepaw the forest. She padded into the shade of the tall oaks and maples, parting her jaws to scent the air. The faint scent of squirrel and thrush mingled with the fresher scent of mouse. Galepaw crept forward, keeping her paws light on the ground. She saw the creature nibbling beneath the roots of a tree, a seed in its tiny paws. Its back was to her, and she was luckily downwind of it. Galepaw stalked towards it, her eyes flashing as she prepared to pounce…

"Hey!" She pounced, but the mouse had already been lost. She hissed in frustration and whirled on Briarpaw, wondering what he was doing interrupting her hunt that way. She was about to yell at him when she realized that the cat standing behind her was _not _Briarpaw. It was a tom, with cream fur and bright green eyes.

"Who are you?" Galepaw demanded.

"I could ask the same of you," the tom said hotly, "Seeing as how you're hunting in my leader's woods."

"Oh, really? Well, where is this leader, then? Why send you to guard it?" Galepaw asked dryly.

"My leader's territory spans a great distance. He cannot be everywhere at once. But you would be wise," the tom said with narrowed eyes, "To leave this place. Or," he paused, giving her a long look that lingered on her powerful limbs, "You could always join the Gang."

"I don't want to join your gang," Galepaw snapped, "And I will hunt where I please, unless you have some way of stopping me." Her eyes narrowed. The tom smiled coldly.

"Indeed I do," he said, and let out a yowl. Galepaw's stomach plummeted as she saw three more cats emerge from behind the cream tom.

"Say hello to Zip, Mange, and Kip," the tom said. "These cats help me guard this forest against enemies of our leader. And what do we do with insolent brats like this one, Mange?" The tom he had addressed was black, with a long scar running across his face, freezing his lips in a permanent snarl.

"We kill 'em," Mange replied, his gold hazel eyes glittering with bloodlust. Galepaw unsheathed her claws, digging their tips into the earth. She took a deep breath, feeling the blood rushing through her veins, heating her body and filling her with adrenaline.

"Oh, will ya now?" Another voice said. The four cats flinched back as a huge ginger tom emerged from the brush. He had a stately look about him, and his green eyes flashed as he glared at the cats that had threatened Galepaw.

"We're defending our territory," the cream tom spat.

"Oh, I don't doubt it, Vex," the ginger tom replied dryly, "My good friend's minions seem to do nothing but guard their territory. Really, you're all about as mindful as fleas."

"At least we have territory," one of the other cats, a slender tabby she-cat, spat at the tom, "Unlike _some _cats."

"Territory is restricting," the ginger tom said with a disdainful glance at the she-cat. "It limits the experiences we have, the friends we make. There is no need for territory." His eyes flickered as he glanced at Galepaw. His eyes lingered on her muscular build a moment, her defiant expression, and then he turned his attention back to the others.

"Now, you can either let this she-cat come with me, or have to fight us both, along with her friend hiding in the bushes there." The tom flicked his tail, and Galepaw turned with a surprised gasp to see Briarpaw pad from a bush with the scent of rabbit on his fur. He glared at the four cats, his already spiky fur bristling with hostility.

"Fine," Vex spat after a pause, "Take the cat, we don't care. But don't come back here." He snarled.

"Why would we? It's nothing compared to the forest of this she-cat's homeland," the ginger tom said airily, "Not that you'd ever see it." The cats stared after them as the ginger tom motioned for the two apprentices to follow him, leading them out of the forest and into a small cluster of rocks. Inside one of the rocks was a little cave, which was big enough to house the three of them, and the rabbit that Briarpaw had caught.

"You'd best be wary, travelers," the ginger tom said as he sat down and curled his long, bushy tail over his paws, "Venom's brainless mob aren't to be trifled with. The things he puts in their heads…" The tom frowned and shook his head with a sigh.

"Um… we're very grateful for you help," Galepaw meowed hesitantly, "But, if I may ask, who are you? And how do you know about where I come from?" She asked. She wondered if he really _did _know the truth about her – about the Clans.

"The scent," the tom replied. "It is easy to remember, after growing up around it." His eyes looked wistful, as if he were remembering something that must have been very pleasant.

"What sent?" Briarpaw asked, confused. The tom looked at them keenly, as if he'd been snapped out of a daydream and was trying to accustom himself to the real world again.

"My name is Hawkfire," the tom meowed softly, "I once was a warrior of ThunderClan."

Galepaw could remember hearing the story of Hawkfire and his siblings, Lilywhisper and Redpatch. They had been the closest of kin, always together and always agreeable with each other. Most of the friction within the group was between the two brothers, but Lilywhisper always seemed to be able to calm them down. It was a particularly cold Leafbare, and the cats were weak, their bodies thin and frail after a hard season. Lilywhisper had been hunting and had caught her leg in a fox trap. Redpatch and Hawkfire had been sick in the camp, so they hadn't been with her, as they always would have been before. She had fought desperately to free her leg, until she was too weak to do anything. She collapsed in the snow, bleeding, until one of her Clanmates– Galepaw's father, Ashcrest – found her. He tried to free her leg, but it was too tangled into the trap. In the end, they only freed her because Lilywhisper woke from her stupor and panicked, wrenching her leg free and in the process devastating the nerves in her leg. Brittlwhisker's mentor, Foxbreath, told her that she would never use that leg again. Her brothers were as devastated as she, and from that moment on they spent every moment they could by her side.

Galepaw's father had been close friends with them, and she remembered – only faintly – hearing the story from him; the true story that few cats knew. Lilywhisper wandered from camp one day, fed up with cats' whispers and looks. Her brothers had been assigned to a patrol, so she was alone. Most of ThunderClan thought she had fallen into the lake and drowned, but Ashcrest had known better. He had been there with her brothers as they emerged from the forest and saw Lilywhisper staring down a small drop, into the water below. Her brothers had called out to her, and she had looked over her shoulder with a terribly sad expression on her face before she jumped into the water.

_"You're _Hawkfire?" Galepaw breathed, hardly believing that she could be standing next to the proud, strong warrior her father had so admired. She wished she could remember more of what Ashcrest had told her, but she had been a very young kit when he had died after a battle with WindClan.

"Yes," the tom said, "That would be me."

"The one that left the Clans with his brother after his sister died?" Briarpaw inquired, looking curiously from Galepaw to the broad-shouldered tom. A terrible sadness filled Hawkfire's green eyes.

"Yes," he said, "Also me."

"Ashcrest was sad that you left," Galepaw said without really knowing _why_ she said it. "He talked about you and Redpatch all the time." Hawkfire looked down at her curiously.

"Did he? He was always rather reserved when I knew him. How is he faring these days?" Hawkfire asked.

"He died," Galepaw murmured. She saw Briarpaw frown, as if he had heard her father's name and wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Oh," Hawkfire said, his eyes clouding with grief, "I see…"

"He was a warrior to the last, though," Galepaw sighed.

"You knew him well, then?" Hawkfire was staring at her closely, as if he was seeing something in her face, her build.

"He was my father." She responded gently, looking away. She glanced at Hawkfire from the corner of her eye and saw that he looked both happy and sad at the same time. It was a strange expression; strange enough to warrant Galepaw turning her full attention back to the ginger tom.

"So," Hawkfire sighed. There was unimaginable weight in that one syllable. "So."

"Did you… know her?" Galepaw looked up at him. Hawkfire glanced her way for a moment and then his gaze slid past the apprentice, into some distant past she would never see.

"Yes," he said finally. "I knew your mother. She was the sister of Foxbreath's apprentice, a ShadowClan cat that had been taken away from his Clan by his mother, while your mother was left behind..." Galepaw gasped.

"Do you mean…?"

"Yes," Hawkfire nodded solemnly. Galepaw looked down at her paws, stunned. So her mother…

Was Brittlewhisker's sister?

* * *

_(Author's Note: How was that for a shocker? Just wait... it'll get better. *evil laughter* Anyways, thank you so much for your support! Please please comment! I love to have feedback! And please please give me input on my characters! I love to hear what you think of them! Tell me which ones you hate or love or whatever, I'd love to hear what you have to say! Again, thank you!)_


	7. Chapter Six Cloud

_(Author's Note: I do not own Warriors or any of Erin Hunter's characters (where and when they appear). However I do claim credit for my plot/OCs. Thank you for reading and hope you enjoy!)_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter Six **

Clouds Touching the Earth could barely sleep, he was so anxious. His eyes wandered the cave, falling upon the prey-pile, the dark forms of his sleeping Tribekin. He wished he could reach out and touch them, talk to them – who knew if he would ever see them again? Cloud flexed his muscles, feeling the raw tension building up inside of him. What would it be like, this journey? He had never seen any of the lands beyond the mountains. Would he be able to hunt, to survive? Cloud wondered who the cats he had to find were – how could they help him? The questions filled his head and made him unable to sleep. He got to his paws, padding out of the Cave-guard's tunnel and into the main chamber, where the thunder of the waterfall echoed familiarly in his ears. He looked at the sheen of silver moonlight that broke through the dancing water, his pale gold eyes reflecting the shimmering embers of a cool night.

"You are restless?" He turned, starting, to find Stoneteller watching him. A bundle of herbs lay at the tom's paws. Cloud had a sinking feeling as he looked at them, but he simply nodded. "These are for your travels. It is best if you are gone before the others awake. I have already ensured there is no one to stop you." Cloud felt as if his throat were swollen as he knelt down and licked up the herbs. He had a hard time swallowing them, but when he finally managed to do so Stoneteller touched his forehead with his nose and murmured a soft prayer.

"May the Tribe of Endless Hunting watch over you, brave kin," the Healer said softly, "And may you come back to us, wiser and stronger from your travels."

The mountains exhibited an ethereal beauty in the early mornings, when the sun peeked over the rise of hills, sending beautiful streaks of red and gold across the sky. Cloud had never realized just how amazing his home was, until that moment when it would be taken from him – if not forever, then for a time, at least. He felt somewhat exposed without his usual layering of mud, his silver fur standing out against the brown rock. But he would have no need of his usual camouflage when he left the mountains. It would take time to leave them behind, he knew, but not so long that he would have to hunt. Stoneteller's herbs had taken away all thoughts of food or rest – he was eager to continue his journey, no matter how terribly lonely he felt leaving his Tribe behind. As time passed slowly and the sun began to rise overhead, Cloud began to think about what sort of things he might expect from the outside world – he had learned of Twolegplaces, of vast forests, and of great bodies of water where fish like to swim. He wondered if he would be able to learn how to fish – he would like to try. The river near his home was filled with fish, but he'd never really thought of hunting them before. Not that it would subtle to do so, and Cloud knew that his Tribekin would disapprove of him, a Cave-guard, taking on the duties of Prey-hunters.

The stone beneath his paws began to slant downwards, and as he rounded a corner he felt as if his entire world was being thrown upside-down. Below, the mountains ended abruptly, turning into vast moorlands, and in the distance there were unnatural-looking blotches. A Twolegplace. Cloud's eyes widened and he had to pause for a few heartbeats, gawking at this amazing new sight. Then a flash of movement caught his eye. He ducked behind a boulder and saw five cats leaping down from the cliffs, towards the Twolegplace. Their pelts were different colors, and they were being led by the Siamese that Cloud had seen talking to Skull before. _I wonder what they're doing…? _Cloud watched them closely, and then he began to follow them. He didn't know his way around, and if he was led by these cats – cats that obviously knew the terrain quite well – he would be less likely to run into any dangerous obstacles. And perhaps, by following this cat, he could learn more about what sort of threat he posed to the Tribe of Rushing Water.

The day passed by too quickly, and as night fell Cloud found himself taking his first few steps away from the range of mountains he'd lived in all his life. The tom felt a bit homesick already, especially as he searched for a safe place to sleep. He finally chose a notch in a tree, preferring to be off the ground since he didn't quite know what sort of creatures lived in the area. His pale golden eyes settled on the distant shapes of the cats he'd been following – they were settling into a mass of bracken, one of their company standing guard while the others settled in. Cloud felt a pang of loneliness. He missed his Tribe, the companionship and comfort of his home. He sighed as he tucked his nose into the curve of his arm and fell asleep.

The slope of the mountains shrank behind him, leaving him in a dark shadowy place. Where was he, anyway? Cloud looked around, but he saw nothing. He was alone. He cried out, staring up imploringly at the sky. _Where are you? You said you would follow me! _He called silently to the starless expanse above.

_"Do not worry," _a soft voice called from the darkness. _"We are always with you."_

Cloud started awake. It had only been a dream. He stared down from his perch in the tree and saw that it was morning already. When he came to the cats' camp, he found that they had already left, but their scent remained. He would be able to track them easily. Cloud decided that he would attempt a hunt in this new territory, to learn the feel of it a bit more. It was harder to stay quiet when there were so many twigs and leaves and other obstructions that would alert his prey if he accidently stepped on them. He scented the air and followed the smell of mouse, his mouth watering as he snuck behind it, making sure he was downwind. He paused, waiting, listening. But nothing happened. _There must not be any birds down here. _He thought, creeping forward. He knew full well _how _to catch a mouse, but he was out of practice. _But I won't fail! _Cloud told himself. The next few moments were almost like a dream. Every motion, every tense muscle and straining tendons, felt as familiar to him as breathing. He bore his paw down on the mouse's spine, snapping it without letting the small creature utter a single squeak. With a contented sigh, Cloud curled up and began to eat.

It was Sun-high when Clouds Touching the Earth finally began to follow the cats' trail again. He took his time, exploring and learning everything he could about the world around him. He found new prey hiding among the undergrowth – strange creatures that he had no name for. He wished he could have spoken to Stormfur more; his ancestor must know everything about these strange beasts. Cloud suddenly came to a tall wooden fence, and inside the fence were tall creatures that chewed and stared and bawled at him but didn't seem to care that he was there. Cloud was still cautious, though, as he crossed the field. When the creatures came too close, he darted away, leaving them bawling a complaint behind him. Cloud wondered privately if they were stupid, but he decided not to stop and try to ask. It was then that he saw it – the vast number of Twoleg nests that spanned the horizon up ahead, their peeks showing over the tops of a small forest of trees he was coming to. Cloud felt his stomach plummet, his muscles tightening as he thought of walking in that place, among all the Twolegs and noises and Monsters that he had been told about. He wished he had never left the mountains…

_But I guess I have some time, _He thought. _I'll stay the night in the forest… _He didn't allow himself to think of tomorrow, when he would have to venture into the Twolegplace. Sighing, the tom made his way into the dense undergrowth of trees, feeling at least protected for the first time since he left his familiar mountain ranges. He hunted again, but had less luck. He was tired, and his mind wasn't quite cooperating with him. With a hefty sigh, Clouds Touching the Earth curled up among some ferns and fell asleep.

The darkness was back. But this time, he could see the cat that had spoken to him. It was Stormfur, watching with his deep, wise eyes. Cloud dipped his head respectfully, hardly daring to breathe for fear he would drive this ancient cat into nonexistence.

"Welcome,"Stormfur murmured, smiling. He approached and touched his nose to Cloud's, instantly spreading the tom's body with a pleasant warmth that boosted his spirits. "I know the trial you are facing," the tom continued. "I, too, was once asked to leave my home to venture into the unknown. Do not fear. You will soon be united with those you are searching, and they will guide you."

"But what use will I be?" Cloud asked.

"You have… very special abilities." Stormfur said hesitantly, "You do not know them yet, but they are there." Cloud's eyes widened.

"Special abilities? Like what?"

"I cannot say," Stormfur murmured, bowing his head gravely, "But they will guide you and your destined companions. Do not fear, Cloud. You are strong. Your spirit is unbreakable. You hold the ability to see this quest through."

Cloud's hunt was more successful in the morning. He was still feeling warm and comforted by Stormfur's presence, and with a renewed spirit the tom was able to focus and caught his first rabbit. He had seen them in the mountains, sometimes, but they'd always been too fast for him. The tom ate to his heart's content, and then he turned his attention to the Twolegplace. He made his way slowly across the field that separated the forest from the gathering of nests, wishing that he could prolong the inevitable occurrence, that his destiny didn't have anything to do with the Twolegs – but the cats' scent, which he had still been following, told him that this was the right way to go. Cloud came to a tall fence, which was thin and made of wood. He leaped to the top, balancing precariously on the edge for a moment. He looked down and was alarmed to see a dog sleeping in the yard next to him. But, to his relief, it was sound asleep.

"So you're the one that's been following us?" Cloud turned, alarmed, to see a huge tabby tom sitting across from him, snarling. "I'll rip your throat out," he growled.

"Peace, Mace," the Siamese said calmly. "State your business, mountain cat." The tom's cold green eyes studied Cloud's face, as if sizing him up. He seemed pleased with what he found – what exactly that was, Cloud couldn't say.

"I am merely passing through," Cloud replied with equal calm, "Only chance has brought our paths together."

"Indeed," the Siamese murmured, his eyes narrowed, "And why have you ventured from your territory, Tribe cat?" Cloud shrugged.

"That sort of life just didn't appeal to me. I like to be free to go where I please." He said, and even he was surprised by how truly bored and indifferent he sounded. He was a good liar. But then, that wasn't much of a surprise, after a lifetime of pushing the rules and boundaries of his Tribe.

"I see." The other cat's eyes narrowed until they were mere slivers in his sharply angled face. He seemed to be considering something as he looked Cloud up and down. "And what sort of life are you looking for down here, in _my _domain? Freedom? No cat is free here. You should turn back the way you came. You'll find more _freedom _there. For now." The tom said coldly.

"I'm actually on my way to a different forest," Cloud said with an indifferent shrug, "Some old family blood in that direction as I understand."

"Oh, are you? Well, if you don't cause problems I can't see why I should detain you. But be assured that if you _do _cause problems…" The tom curled his lip and the big tabby by his side arched his back, sliding his huge claws from their sheathes so that they glinted dangerously in the sunlight.

"I understand," Cloud meowed with a tight smile. The tom nodded and then, with a flick of his tail, motioned for his followers to come. Cloud watched them until they were a good distance away, and then he let out his breath and leaped onto the ledge of an abandoned Twoleg nest, curling his tail over his paws.

"Haven't seen anything." He heard a voice saying.

"Oh, you haven't?" This voice was recognizable as the Siamese's. Cloud wondered what was going on. He climbed a little higher and peeked through a small window that lit up a mostly empty room. The Siamese and his big tabby friend were sitting on one side, faced by a small patched she-cat and a large black tom.

"My sources tell me you're the information hub of this area," the Siamese continued, his voice and eyes like ice, "Any cat wanting to know something comes to you."

"And how would I know about some bizarre dream your sister had?" The black cat snapped, "I'm no seer. I merely state fact."

"And it is fact I am looking for," the tom replied in a dangerously low voice. The black cat's eyes narrowed and he straightened.

"Cats with unusual markings, you say? Unusual how?" The tom asked warily. The Siamese shrugged his shoulders.

"It does not matter. I will hunt them all down, if I must." He said.

"Well…" The tom's eyes flickered as he glanced at the she-cat beside him. Then he tilted his head to one side. "I've seen some loners that have remarkable patterning on their fur, but they've already passed through this area. Can't say I've noticed any other significant cats," he meowed. The Siamese's eyes narrowed into blue slits. He flicked his tail, and the huge tabby – Mace – lunged forward. The little she-cat gave a startled cry and leaped in front of the black cat, just in time for Mace's claws to tear across her throat. Cloud froze, his eyes widening with horror as blood poured out of the wound and the she-cat collapsed, her eyes already misting over.

"Leila, no!" The black cat exclaimed, his eyes filled with sorrow and horror as he knelt over the she-cat. She looked up at him weakly.

"I'll watch over you, Raven," she whispered, "I promise. And I'll find her for you. I'll find your lost mate. She's up there, I know it." Leila gave him one last smile and then her breath left her lungs in a soft, peaceful sigh. Raven glared up at the cats before him, whose eyes glittered coldly.

"Consider it a warning, then," the Siamese meowed with a sniff. "I want more information, so you'd better find it. Let's go, Mace." The Siamese motioned to the tabby, and the two stalked off. Cloud ducked into the nest, feeling the warmth of the musty-scented Twoleg nest as he slipped through the window. Raven was bent over Leila's still body, his head bowed.

"May you rest in peace, my friend," he was murmuring as Cloud landed behind him. He whipped around, his hackles rising, and then he took a firm look at Cloud's expression and relaxed.

"Who was that cat?" Cloud asked, his eyes grave as they passed from Raven to the small lifeless body beside him.

"Venom," Raven replied. "He has a hunger for power that will not be sated easily. His sister is a strange one. She apparently had a dream that told her cats with strange markings would try to oppose her brother, and so he came here looking for information. Poor Leila," Raven sighed, "You shouldn't have given your life for me."

"I am one of the cats he seeks," Cloud said. Raven's eyes widened as he looked over the mountain cat.

"Why would you entrust this information to me?" Raven asked.

"Because I see a fire in your eyes," Cloud meowed, "You will not side with Venom, no matter the cost." Raven looked down at Leila and sighed.

"Her death will not be in vain," he growled, "I will put a stop to Venom if I can. I swear by the blood of Warriors that runs through my veins." He said, a fierce fire burning within his eyes that Cloud had never seen the like of before.

"You are… of the Clans? The four Clans of the lake?" Cloud asked, surprised. Raven looked at him closely.

"You know of the Clans?"

"Yes. My ancestor once lived among them, in RiverClan."

"It wouldn't happen to have been a tom named Stormfur, would it?" Raven looked closely at Cloud, his expression curious.

"Yes, actually," Cloud meowed, startled that this cat had known his ancestor's name. Raven nodded slowly.

"Which Clan were you a part of?" Cloud inquired.

"ShadowClan," the black tom replied. "I lived there with my sister, Hauntsoul."

"Why did you leave it?" Cloud asked. Raven looked at him steadily.

"I broke the code," he murmured at last, looking down at Leila's small, bloody corpse, "And all that ever brought was pain and misery. To me… to my sister… and especially to…" He closed his eyes and bowed his head. Then he reopened his deep green eyes, fixing them on Cloud.

"I am Ravenwing," he meowed. "It has been a long time since I had any reason to dust off my old skills. But now…" His eyes flickered as he looked down at Leila. "Venom has made this personal. If you ever need any help, I'm at your service." He looked up at Cloud, trust in his warm gaze. Cloud felt an easy comradeship with this cat. He tipped his head slightly and smiled.

"Thank you, Ravenwing. I am Clouds Touching the Earth. I am of the Tribe of Rushing Water." Ravenwing seemed to understand what that meant. He nodded his head and turned to listen to the surrounding cats. He scented the air and then nodded.

"They're gone, at least for now. You are searching for other cats with the star mark, right?" Raven looked at Cloud with an intelligent twinkle in his eye.

"Yes," Cloud said, remembering hearing all the time about the faded star-shaped mark on his neck. Now, it seemed, it had been this mark that had destined him for this journey.

"I know of one," Ravenwing meowed, nodding his head, "She lives in these parts, though she often moves about. You can't miss her, though. She has bright tortoiseshell fur and one of those markings on her forehead, just by her ear." Cloud stood, feeling one last pang of sorrow when he looked at Leila's calm face, her peacefully closed eyes that didn't make sense at all with the way she had died. But then, perhaps it made all the sense in the world. She had saved someone she loved, and that had been enough.

"Oh, and by the way," Raven called after him as he turned to leap up to the window, "Her name is Sohnya."

* * *

_(Author's Note: Ahah! Keep in mind that Raven is very important, as is his past. Well as important as anything is in my stories. *chuckle* Thank you for reading! Please review/fav if you would be so inclined! :3)_


	8. Chapter Seven Jace

(Author's Note: Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors or any of Erin Hunter's original characters. However, I do claim credit for my ideas and OCs! Thank you for reading and hope you enjoy!)

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter Seven**

**Jace**

The quiet moorland was like nothing the ginger tom had ever seen before. He stared across it, his eyes wide. Whispers floated to him on the wind, like sweet lullabies and bitter laments of so much pain and love and sorrow and joy. He took a few steps forward and suddenly stopped, his entire body stiffening as he watched four graceful forms run across the moors towards him. In the front was a dark grey tom, followed by a tabby she-cat, a cream-colored she-cat, and a thin tortoiseshell cat with a distant look in her eyes.

"Greetings," the tabby she-cat said with a tender smile as she touched noses with Jace. He blinked in surprise, but somehow he felt as if this cat was a friend. He looked towards the other three cats. The cream she-cat brushed her muzzle against his.

"We're so glad to see you," she meowed.

"Speak for yourself," the grey tom muttered.

"Please, Crowstar," the tortoiseshell she-cat meowed, her voice and expression as calm as the distant surface of a shimmering lake, "The time for petty arguing has passed. Greetings to you, chosen one," she continued, turning her attention to Jace, "We have been waiting for you."

"And just who are you?" Jace demanded.

"We are cats who have passed on from your world. We now live among the stars," the she-cat replied.

"Ok… And what do you want with me?" Jace demanded.

"You are chosen to help save the cats of many distant places," Crowstar meowed, his blue eyes piercing as they eyed Jace like he was some piece of fresh-kill.

"You no doubt know of the cat that has taken over the Twolegplace?" The cream she-cat cut in.

"Well, yeah, I've heard of him." Jace mewed.

"His threat is grave, indeed. It will affect many cats, unless you can stop it. You have already met one of the other cats that will help you on your journey."

"Wait, what are you…?"

"We will meet again, Jace. Until then." The tabby she-cat smiled and then turned to go, followed by the other cats. Their pelts shone like starlight as they ran across the moorlands, disappearing in a shimmer of light.

Jace sat on the fence of his garden, staring out at the neighboring Twoleg nests without much expression on his face. The day had gone so slowly, and he was bored, bored, bored. He wished that Jaeger would stop being such a prig and would live a little. But no, he insisted on staying the garden or lying about in the sun while adventures lay just beyond their fence. Jace sighed, wishing Sohnya and Riddle would come back. It had been so fun, showing them around and spending time with them. He rarely got to interact with other cats, since most other housecats were obsessed with guarding their "territory" and street cats were equally prickly for different reasons. But Sohnya and her friend had been different. Even if Riddle was a bit stiff, Sohnya had been so warm and friendly, even beneath her sulky and fiery surface. Jace stretched, getting to his paws. He had to see her again. Especially after his dream that night.

"What are you up to?" Jaeger asked him, causing him to whip around and hunch his shoulders, a gesture that had become habitual when he was feeling guilty about mutinous thoughts towards his brother.

"I just wanted to go for a walk. You know… see if Sohnya's still around…"

"Jace." Jaeger meowed sternly, his eyes flashing. "Have you forgotten?" Jace's face fell and he looked down at his paws.

"No," he said finally. "I haven't."

"Then stay here and stop causing so much trouble." Jaeger snapped. Jace shrugged and stared out at the numerous fences, Thunderpaths, and Twoleg monsters humming and growling. His heart ached painfully as he longed to venture out into the wild, where he would never have to be locked away behind walls, and where he could wander to his heart's content. Maybe he really _was_ destined to go on this "journey" his dream-cats told him about.

"Jace!" He heard a voice calling from somewhere behind him. He started and turned to see Sohnya and Riddle coming towards him along another fence. Riddle walked with surprising poise for his bulk, while Sohnya lurched forward clumsily. It was amazing that she managed to walk along the thin tops of the fence at all – her ability to cope with her injury made Jace admire her more than any other cat he'd ever known.

"Hey! What's up?" Jace exclaimed, his eyes shining as his tail shot up straight. Behind him, Jaeger was muttering something along the lines of "oh, great", just as the two cats cleared the gap between the next garden's fence and the one bordering Jace and Jaeger's home.

"We wanted to come see you again." Sohnya replied with a smile. Jace pricked his ears, feeling a little surge of pleasure fill him.

"That's great! Maybe we can go fishing again?" He suggested eagerly.

"Or maybe we can stay home so that our Twolegs don't become worried again," Jaeger hissed from behind him.

"Actually," Sohnya murmured, her expression changing so that she looked really uncertain. Jace tilted his head to one side, feeling curiosity bubble up inside of him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Have you had any weird dreams lately? With cats you don't know, telling you about… about a sort of… _journey _you're destined to go on?" Jace's eyes widened in surprise.

"You, too?" He exclaimed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. So Sohnya was the cat that the cats had been talking about? The one that would help him protect the Twolegplace? He felt his heart stutter in excitement, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"Then we'll go together!" He cried, "It's destiny!"

"Jace, what are you talking about?" Jaeger snapped.

"Sohnya and I have a quest we must go on! We have to find the other cats!" Jaeger stared at him as if he were crazy. But before he could say anything, Riddle spoke up;

"I will be coming, too, if you don't mind my company." He said. Sohnya smiled at him gratefully.

"Not at all," Jace meowed. "The more the merrier!"

"Do you have bees in your brain?" Jaeger hissed, his eyes wide with shock and dismay. Jace looked at him and felt a pang of sadness. He and his brother had been together as long as they'd lived, and he'd never known any truer friend.

"I wish you'd come." Jace murmured. Jaeger glared at him.

"What? You thought I'd stay here and let you go off on your own? Don't make me laugh. You're not getting rid of me that easily." He snapped. A huge smile stretched across Jace's face as he pounced on his brother, knocking them both off the fence and into their garden. Jaeger laughed and touched Jace's ear with his nose. They were brothers, no matter what. Jace looked up at the two cats on the fence. Sohnya's expression was hard to read, but Riddle looked unmistakably sad. Jace wondered what exactly these street cats had gone through. It was a question he would have for a long time to come.

The smell of the Thunderpath filled Jace's nostrils, though it didn't bother him at all. He was used to the acrid stench of Twoleg monsters, which they called "cars". He'd ridden inside of one more than once, and had learned that they were about as alive as a tree. They moved and made sound, but they didn't have minds of their own. He wondered how they knew where to go. Jaeger thought it must be the Twolegs controlling them. Jace couldn't say that he disagreed, but the thought made him a little uneasy. What were Twolegs, that they could control such huge brainless beasts? He didn't have an answer.

"Hey, Jace… Where do you think we'll find the other Chosen ones?" Sohnya asked, her voice snapping his attention back to reality. The tom blinked at her and then looked at their two companions. Jaeger looked a little nervous, while Riddle seemed perfectly calm. His eyes flickered as if he were looking out for danger. There was something about him – his rigid posture, the tight sinews of powerful muscles gliding and rippling beneath his fur – that made Jace feel uncomfortable. But then, most of the outside world had that affect on housecats. Why not Jace, as well? He'd never been one for being nervous, but there was a first time for everything.

"Who knows?" Jace shrugged, unconcerned. The cats in their dreams – cats that had died and moved on to a better place, it seemed – knew what they were doing. As long as they kept on their current path, he felt they'd run across the other cats of the prophecy soon enough.

"Maybe I should look for the cats we met in our dreams?" Sohnya wondered out loud, her expression thoughtful.

"Look for them?" Jace echoed. "But they're dead." The she-cat started and cast an alarmed glance at him, then she relaxed and shook her head.

"N-no… it's nothing." She murmured. Jace stared at her, wondering if it was really _'nothing'_. If it was _nothing _then why did she look so worried?

"Should we get something to eat?" Jaeger suggested. Trust Jace's brother to always think of his stomach. Jace heaved a sigh and shook his head.

"Got nothin' better to do," he muttered.

"What's that smell?" Sohnya frowned, looking up at a nearby mass of old Twoleg nests. Her eyes widened as she limped forward, moving quicker than Jace thought should be physically possible for her. The three toms raced after her, catching up just as she leaped onto an old rattling fence.

"What's… great star…" Riddle's voice trailed off as he stared at the limp, dead body of a she-cat. Sohnya sat beside it and bowed her head, her shoulders slumped in sorrow.

"Sohnya?" She looked up, as did Jace and their two companions. A black calico tom was padding out of the shadows, followed by three sturdy cats. His eyes flickered as he looked at her, alarmed.

"Raven… What happened to Leila?" Sohnya asked, her voice breaking a little.

"Venom happened," Raven growled. "Now you should leave. You're not safe here. There's a cat that you must find. He's grey. Has spots. His name is Cloud. Now go. Hurry!" Sohnya met Raven's even stare and then dipped her head. She turned, casting one last look at Leila's corpse before leaping back onto the fence. Jace followed Riddle after her, just landing on the unsteady wood as Riddle said;

"Sohnya? What's…?"

"If Raven says it's dangerous we need to move," she meowed, interrupting him. Her eyes flashed as she leaped down into a dirty alley, landing hard on her foreleg. She grunted then straightened up and cast a cold look at her companions.

"It's Venom we're up against," she meowed. "And we're goanna need all the help we can get at this rate."

Jace's sleep was dreamless that night. But he felt uneasy, especially when he had to get up and take the last watch. He'd never had to watch for anything in his life, so the thought of what things lay out there made him a little nervous. At the same time he felt an overflowing strength within his body, making his heartbeat stutter at the thought of a confrontation. He'd always known he was a good fighter. He never lost any fight. Even against dogs and more than one cat, Jace had always been lucky. But he'd never known the loneliness of night before, and that made him feel nervous. He was relieved when dawn arrived and Sohnya woke. She blinked open her blue eyes and stared out of the small gaps in a Twoleg nest's wall the cats had slept in. She met Jace's gaze and then got to her paws, wincing as if she were in pain. Jace couldn't help looking at the place her leg should have been. He wondered what it felt like without it, what sorts of things she could do or couldn't. So far, he was pretty sure nothing was beyond Sohnya's reach if she wanted it.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" He asked politely. Sohnya frowned.

"I tried to find him," she sighed, "But the cat in my dream is… well, he's different. I'll try looking for the others tomorrow." She murmured, half to herself.

"What do you mean you _tried _to find him?" Jace asked, confused. She looked around once, then at Jaeger and Riddle, who were still asleep. Leaning close to him, she met his gaze with fierce eyes and whispered;

"I can walk in other cats' dreams. I don't really know how. I think it's something to do with the prophecy."

"You… so you just waltz into other cat's dreams like they're your own?" Jace's eyes widened. What a strange skill! He'd never heard of anything like that before, but then his life with Jaeger rarely yielded opportunity to learn about the wide world. And if this prophecy were to come true, all of the chosen ones would need to be able, at least. He wondered if he had any special talents. He didn't really think so. If being stupidly brave and undeniably lucky was a talent, then maybe he could consider the number of times he'd gotten out of trouble using his smarts and his agility, but he doubted that had anything to do with whatever "ability" he would have connected to the prophecy. Sohnya was lucky – at least she knew.

"Well, if you want to put it that way…" Sohnya said huffily, her eyes narrowed.

"I just meant it was cool." Jace smirked and she stared at him for a moment before letting the fur along her shoulders lie flat, her gaze drifting to the farthest row of Twoleg nests visible. He saw a look of sadness in her eyes and wondered what she was thinking. He was just about to ask when Riddle came up, yawning widely.

"So, where to today?" Riddle asked.

"Anywhere," Jaeger muttered, "So long as I can get something to eat." Jace grinned at Sohnya and flicked his tail. She smiled and shook her head, turning her attention to Riddle.

"I don't know where we can find this cat Raven told us about. But that's a good place to start, I think." Riddle nodded, turning his head away to listen to the sounds of the bustling Twolegplace. His expression was hard to decipher, and Jace almost wished he had the power to read minds. That would make his life easier around these mysterious cats.

"Why don't we try near the northern end of the town?" Jaeger suggested. The other cats looked at him.

"What?" He asked irritably. "I just thought it might be a good place to start. It's open, and lots of cats venture around there."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jace meowed. Sohnya nodded, her expression solemn. Jace wondered if she liked the idea or not. Riddle seemed content either way.

"Hey Sohnya." Jace said as the two walked together behind the others. She looked at him curiously, her entrancing blue eyes drawing him in.

"Yeah?"

"If you can walk in dreams," he said, "Wouldn't it be faster to just walk into this Cloud cat's dreams and tell him to meet us?" She looked at him like he were crazy and then frowned, staring off into the distance.

"Huh," she said at last. "Not quite what I was planning but… it's worth a shot, I guess." Jace smiled, glad to feel useful. He watched Sohnya pad along clumsily, her eyes straight ahead and her ears pricked forward. He wondered what the strange star-cats could have been thinking, sending them all into the unknown – two housecats a wanderer and a maimed alley cat. He wondered what sort of cat "Cloud" would be. Hopefully someone strong and competent. And how many more would join them? Jace couldn't begin to guess. He was suddenly struck with the realization that they were wandering blind. He sighed, looking up into the fathomless blue sky and wishing he had something solid to hold onto.

_I hope you know what you're doing. _He thought, gazing up for a few more moments before turning and racing after his companions.

* * *

Author's Note: Jace makes me laugh. Why? Not sure. He just DOES. Next chapter... who will it be? O.o No one new, I promise! I've learned my lesson when it comes to too many main characters -.- So thank you very much for reading and please please please review! Pretty please! :D I love to hear from you!


	9. Chapter Eight Galepaw

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter Eight**

**Galepaw**

The sound of a low cawing filled the air, waking Galepaw. She looked out of the entrance of Hawkfire's small cave, her ears pricked. A raven. She turned to Briarpaw and nudged him crossly, causing him to start awake.

"Huh? Wha?" He blinked, looking at her.

"Could you get off my back, please? My leg is going numb." She motioned to where his weight was pressed against her hind leg. He looked a bit flustered as he straightened up, giving his fur a few self-conscious licks. She nudged him with a playful smile on her face, letting him know she wasn't that irritated at him. He grinned at her sheepishly. Galepaw turned her eyes to the place Hawkfire had been sleeping. He wasn't there. She walked out of the small den and pricked her ears, scenting the air for a trace of Hawkfire's warm, musty scent. It was like traces of squirrel and earth and trees, mixed into a jumble of wind and damp. Part of his scent made her think of ThunderClan, though it was wilder and yet somehow tamer. Galepaw couldn't really explain it.

"How did you sleep?" Galepaw started, whipping around to find Hawkfire perched on top of the boulder his den was naturally carved into. His warm green eyes seemed to shine, and his fur looked like a blazing halo that surrounded those two darker points of light. Galepaw thought of her father, talking of Hawkfire with a sad smile on his face. _"He was like no other cat I've ever known." _Galepaw hadn't understood what her father had meant then. But now, she believed that she did.

"Very good, thank you," Briarpaw meowed, smirking at Galepaw mischievously. She twitched her whiskers at him and then turned back to Hawkfire. He hadn't told her much about her mother. All she knew was that she was Brittlewhisker's sister. But that was better than nothing, she figured. It was better than having no idea at all what cat had left her without a second glance. Galepaw felt her throat tighten and her eyes sting, but she refused to look weak in front of the two toms.

"So," she said, feigning excitement, "What's next?"

"StarClan has given you a very interesting quest," Hawkfire mused. "One that hasn't been rivaled since the Great Journey of the Clans long ago. But I believe I understand their purpose in sending you – at least to a degree. We will go to the Twolegplace. That's the first step to finding the mountains."

"You're coming with us?" Briarpaw asked, startled.

"I can guide you there and make sure you don't run into any more trouble." Hawkfire said. Galepaw closed her eyes, feeling as she was alone, even with these two companions beside her. Why did she feel that way? What about this quest made her so uneasy? Perhaps the companions that StarClan promised her were different than Briarpaw and Hawkfire. Perhaps they'd been tossed into this just as she had. Perhaps they would understand this loneliness.

"Then let's just go." Galepaw sighed, looking up into the wide expanse of sky. Why was it that she could think of nothing but home? She'd longed for so many seasons to have a purpose for living, to prove herself to her Clan. But now that she had it, Galepaw wondered if she would have been better off feeling alone and useless every day of her life. _Be careful what you wish for…_

"Hey, Galepaw… are you Ok?" Galepaw looked up at Briarpaw and wondered what she should say in response. 'Yes, I'm Ok' when it wasn't true? She just shook her head, too engrossed in her own thoughts to pay much heed to explanations. Briarpaw blinked and cocked his head, but he seemed less than inclined to ask her what exactly she was thinking. Galepaw liked it that way, though. As the three of them walked through the forest again she thought of the cats she'd run into the previous day. They'd been more territorial than even a Clan cat would be. But why? She recalled hearing about their "leader". Did _he _have something to do with their hostility? She was broken from her reverie by Hawkfire. The tom announced that they would stop on the edge of the woods and hunt before trekking across the open moorlands. Galepaw had no objection to hunting beneath trees. Briarpaw ran on ahead a ways, hunting among the open fields as he was used to. Galepaw was suddenly very glad of his company. Without him, she would have been in trouble hunting out in the open. Maybe he would teach her some tricks. Hawkfire proved to be an excellent hunter. Although her father had mentioned his battle skill more often, he hadn't undermined his friend's ability. But as with so many things related to Hawkfire, Galepaw hadn't really considered just how strong and skilled he was until she met him.

"Briarpaw!" Hawkfire called out as the two ThunderClan cats emerged from the forest. Briarpaw turned around, a rabbit dangling from his jaws. He ran to meet them, his thick, messy fur rippling smoothly, showing that it was much less coarse than it appeared. The three cats thanked StarClan for their meal and after a quick meal they continued on. Galepaw disliked the feeling of the moors as much as ever, but Briarpaw's company improved the experience. He was so comfortable and energetic; he gave her little time to think of how much she'd like to be somewhere else, like back in ThunderClan territory. Hawkfire talked about adventures he'd had and friends he'd made. He began telling her of how he and her father had become friends.

"He was younger than me," Hawkfire meowed, his gaze distant, remembering, "And he followed me around all the time. Redpatch was always annoyed by him, but Lilywhisper convinced me to encourage him to look up to someone, to admire me, of all cats. But I wasn't as confident in myself as she was. Little Ashkit's attention made me nervous. I was a kit myself, always involved in mischief. But Lilywhisper seemed to have a gift for getting me out of the messes I made for myself. Despite her asking me to, I didn't like to include Ashkit. It wasn't until we'd been made apprentices that everything changed. My mentor, Creektinder, was the deputy at the time. He was a fierce warrior that trained hard, working me until I hardly had enough energy to eat or relax. I slowly began spending less and less time with my siblings. Redpatch was always grudging about it, mumbling that I didn't care about them anymore since I was the deputy's apprentice and was obviously better than they were – by his words, anyway. But Lilywhisper understood. She was quiet and attentive and always gave me space when I needed it. Three moons passed, and I had already surpassed most of the apprentices in skill. Harkstar was impressed with me. I was still not very sure of myself, even if I pretended to be to impress my mentor. Creektinder never gave me praise.

"Ashpaw and Wolfpaw were apprenticed in that third month of my apprenticeship. Ashpaw was excited, in his eager way. Wolfpaw was calm and respectful as ever. Creektinder's sister, Sighingwind, became Ashpaw's mentor. Wolfpaw's mentor was Harkstar himself. It was a surprise. Not many cats felt that Wolfpaw had enough fire to be a good warrior. But Harkstar saw something in the kit that not many did, I suppose. I was so happy for him when he became deputy… just before I left.

"Creektinder had often taken Sighingwind along for our training sessions. His sister was strict like he was, but she was always affectionate and encouraged me more than her brother did. When she was given Ashpaw as a mentor, she took him on many of our excursions. We quickly grew competitive with each other. Ashpaw hadn't forgiven me for ignoring him, I suppose. We became rivals, doing everything together, always trying to outfight or outhunt the other. And in doing so, we formed a close bond that rivaled that of blood brothers.

"We fought in a battle against WindClan together – that same one that began the tension that mounted into many more battles, probably including the one that killed your father. Harkstar told us we had fought with the strength and skill of warriors. We were named together – Ashcrest and Hawkfire. I was so proud. Proud of myself, and of Ashcrest. And when I turned and saw my Clanmates calling my new name, I saw Creektinder calling, too, his eyes shining. He approached me, the first to congratulate me, and he whispered in my ear that he was proud to have been my mentor. Those words have remained with me for many seasons. Ashcrest and I did so many things together, even as warriors. We hunted together, shared our secrets. And then one day Ashcrest came to me and told me that he had met the most beautiful she-cat he had ever seen. When I asked him who he was talking about, he just sighed and said 'maybe it doesn't matter.'

"I knew that something was up. I followed him one night, knowing that he was going out to meet her. And that's when I discovered the truth."

Hawkfire's eyes darkened. He looked away for a moment, his mind lost within memories of the past. Galepaw stared at him, round-eyed, feeling her heartbeat stutter. She wondered what he had found, following her father. She wondered…

"He was meeting with a ShadowClan warrior. She was closer to my age, with eyes that burned and a temper that rivaled that of a badger. She was beautiful, yes. In a frightening way. I knew her because of her connection with our medicine cat's apprentice, Brittlepaw. Her mother had fled from ShadowClan for reasons I could not guess, leaving her behind to suffer the mistrust and anger of her Clanmates along with her brother. She was outraged at my appearance and attacked me. Ashcrest tried to break us up, but she managed to tear my ears pretty badly. I was stunned, of course. I hadn't expected it to be _her."_

"What was her name?" Galepaw asked. Hawkfire looked at her closely, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm not sure you really want to know, young one," he said quietly. "Perhaps you will one day. But it is not my place to tell you." Galepaw's curled ears flicked in annoyance but she bowed her head, resigned. With a grave nod, Hawkfire continued.

"We went back to camp together in silence. I warned him that if he kept sneaking out to see her, I wouldn't keep quiet about it. He looked at me, and I can still remember those eyes. 'Okay', he said, and we didn't speak of it again. Looking back, I know that he still snuck off to see her every now and then. But while I was too busy watching him, I was blind to others…" He bowed his head and sighed sadly.

"Who?" Galepaw asked.

"My sister. She had fallen in love with the brother of Ashcrest's lover. A tom named Ravenwing. After her accident with the trap, she told me about him. She told me that the last time she'd seen him, she had limped all the way there on three legs. She told me that he'd scorned her and turned his back on her, disgusted with her weakness and vulnerability. Typical ShadowClan…" Hawkfire's lip curled to reveal his teeth. Galepaw looked up into his face and saw grief and anger reflected there, deep within his eyes.

"She couldn't take it. I tried to encourage her, but I already knew the truth. She was expecting his kits, and she couldn't hope to hide the circumstances of their birth. Lilywhisper was never good at lying… I should have known. I should have watched her more closely. I wish she could have chosen a different death. At least then I could have found her body and buried her properly, instead of watching her sink into those dark waves and never resurface…" Hawkfire closed his eyes and stopped, suddenly overcome with emotion. Galepaw looked up into his face and then gently touched his shoulder with her tail tip.

"It's okay," she murmured. He looked at her.

"Lilywhisper is in StarClan now. She's happy."

"I wish I could know that for sure." Hawkfire murmured. Galepaw cocked her head and smiled sadly.

"Me, too," she said quietly, thinking of her father. "Me, too."

The grassland stretched out before their paws, touching the horizon where Galepaw could just see the dark shapes of Twoleg nests. Beside her, Briarpaw was trembling with excitement as he gazed to the west, where the treetops were devouring the sun, sending a bloody pool of light into the sky.

"Maybe we'll see the Sun-drown Place!" He exclaimed, his voice shaking with awe.

"Yeah," Galepaw murmured, enchanted by the colors of the setting sun, "Maybe."

"We should probably find a place to sleep." Hawkfire looked around him, his thick fur rippling with golden light as he darted forward towards a small outcrop. The apprentices followed, finding him tucking some moss into a ball. He looked at them.

"We can camp under that fern bush there." He passed the moss to them and Galepaw accepted it gratefully. She would enjoy having a warm nest, even if it was somewhat hastily made. They curled up together and Galepaw lay awake for a little while, watching Hawkfire sitting just outside the bush, watching over them. Then she closed her eyes, feeling safe and protected for the first time since her father died.

The field was seemingly endless, twinkling with starlight. Galepaw looked around her curiously. A brook ran through the field, gurgling happily as if it hadn't a care in the world. Suddenly Galepaw remembered her dream of StarClan. Was that where she was? She looked back at the valley and saw two cats coming towards her. One was a tall, stern-faced tom with a long white stripe down his face. The other was a plump she-cat with bright eyes.

"Hello there," the she-cat said cheerfully. Galepaw blinked.

"Um, hello…" She said uncertainly.

"We have come to show you where you must go. Are you ready?" Before Galepaw could reply, the two cats turned and darted away. She followed them as quickly as she could, her thick legs working hard to keep up with the surprisingly nimble she-cat and the powerful, larger tom. They led her out of the field and into a thick forest. The mists clung to her pelt. She struggled to find them through the fog, her eyes straining. Finally they stopped ahead of her. Two more cats stood waiting, watching.

"It's time, I guess," the one on the left said. He was a handsome grey tom with cloudy blue eyes. Galepaw instantly recognized the other cat. Firestar.

"From here on, you will remain with Jayfeather." Firestar told her, motioning to the grey tom. Galepaw looked at the tom and wondered if he was blind. As if he could read her thoughts, he fixed her with his blue gaze and blinked.

"Thank you for leading her here," Firestar went on, dipping his head to the two cats.

"Of course," the she-cat said. The tom remained silent, acknowledging Firestar with a tip of his head.

"We'll take our leave, then," Jayfeather said. "Callie. Creektinder." Galepaw looked up at the stern tom, whose cold blue eyes turned on her when he caught her staring. A slight smile broke across his face, looking very uncharacteristic.

"Say hello to Hawkfire for me." He said.

"Wait! But what… what about Lilywhisper?" She asked quietly. Creektinder looked at her steadily and then nodded gravely.

"She is happy. She is home." He meowed. He turned, and Galepaw followed his gaze. She saw two cats in the distant, through the mist. They stood side by side, their eyes shining. One was a beautiful she-cat with the bluest eyes Galepaw had ever seen. The other was a tom, broad-shouldered and confident with a proud twinkle in his eye that Galepaw had never known before, when he was alive.

"Father…" She murmured, feeling as if a great weight was lifted off of her chest. He nodded to her, a smile stretching across his face.

"The mists will pull at you." Jayfeather informed her, dragging her attention away from her father and aunt, "It is what makes it hard for you to run with us. But do not stop. You, of all cats, may make it." He nodded to Firestar and the other cats and then led her into the mists. He charged forward with a confidence Galepaw wish she felt. But the mists _did _make it hard to run after him. She panted to keep up, feeling winded as she never had before. Finally Jayfeather stopped. They had emerged into a strange, windy place, where the air was cold and hard to breathe.

"Sohnya," he called out. And as Galepaw watched, a beautiful toritoseshell she-cat padded out from around a pile of stones, her blue eyes sparkling like glass.

"Ah, Jayfeather," she said. "I'm glad you've come." She darted forward, her pelt shimmering like raindrops pattering against stone. She stopped beside him, looking first from him to Galepaw.

"Who is this? Is _this _Cloud?" She asked, confused.

"No. The cat you seek is farther away from here. This is Galepaw." He said, looking back at her with a twinkle in his cloudy eyes. Sohnya blinked and straightened. It was then that Galepaw noticed the mark. It was like a shooting star, black as night, stretching across the she-cat's forehead.

"It's like the one on my ear." Galepaw said out loud. She knew her marking was very faint and hard to see unless one knew it was there. Her father had pointed it out to her once. He said that it was like a shooting star. He'd thought it might be an omen that she'd lead the Clan one day.

"The marking on her forehead, yes," Jayfeather meowed with a solemn nod. Galepaw looked from him back to the she-cat, whose eyes were on Galepaw's face.

"A young cat named Galepaw. I see. And where are you in the waking world, Galepaw?" Sohnya asked.

"I'm on my way to the Twoleg place." She said, and then wondered if she should be sharing secrets with this cat. Sohnya wasn't a Clan name. She was probably a loner.

"I have used up most of my powers to bring her here, Sohnya. You two must meet. It will be your task to find Cloud. He is here, somewhere. You will find him." And with that, the world fell away. Galepaw was sitting up beneath the fern bush, wondering what her dream meant. Sohnya… Was she the companion StarClan had designated for her?

"Mmph… what's wrong, Galepaw?" Briarpaw asked, his voice groggy with sleep. He looked up at her with inquisitive eyes, his fur sticking in all directions as usual. Galepaw purred as she swiped a tongue across his forehead, hoping to rein in his wiry pelt, but failing at once. He looked up at her and grinned impishly.

"I know; it's impossible, right?" He twitched his whiskers in amusement as they both slipped out into the morning. Hawkfire was curled up beside the fern bush, his eyes closed.

"Looks like he fell asleep." Briarpaw said, nudging Hawkfire in the side. The tom awoke at once, his eyes flying open as he flew to his feet, his hackles on end. Then he relaxed, turning to look at them with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm a light sleeper." He said.

"Sure you are," Briarpaw drawled, snorting. "I'm going to go hunt." With that, he trotted away. Galepaw watched him go a moment before she turned back to Hawkfire.

"I saw her," she said quietly. "I went to StarClan's hunting grounds and I saw her. With my father." She said. Hawkfire looked down at her and blinked in surprise. Then he sighed wistfully.

"And… did she look happy?" He asked, turning to watch the rising sun in the distance. Galepaw followed his gaze, letting out a soft breath as the faces of Ashcrest and Lilywhisper floated through her mind.

"Yes," she replied, "They did."

* * *

(Author's Note: I really couldn't resist. I couldn't. It was impossible. I just wanted to see Ashcrest and Lilywhisper happy in StarClan T^T Is that so much to want?

On a side note, I really want to chuck my dumb brother into the Place of No Stars. He is the loudest, most annoying brother on the face of the earth and has a constant need to TOUCH me that REALLY irks me and I just want to slug him. Or throw Tigerstar at his face. Yeah.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! It took me a while. T.T I've been swamped with Psych(o) homework (haha). Who else loves Galepaw? I do =w= Why? Not sure. But I do. And Briarpaw. 'Cause he's cute. Well, thanks for reading and please please PLEASE comment! (if for nothing else to ease my poor brother-tortured soul and give me something to keep me going ;) )

Next chapter will be about our favorite Tribe kitty! Who else is excited? I am! 3 How long will it take for the chosen cats to meet up? What exactly is the danger that Venom poses to all cats? And wait... did Hawkfire say RAVENWING? Find out the answers to some of these questions... and MORE!... in the next chapter of LAMENT OF THE STARS! (Again, I couldn't resist).


	10. Chapter Nine Cloud and Sohnya

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Warriors or any of Erin Hunter's original characters. I do however claim credit for my ideas and OCs! This chapter is dedicated to LemonZinger, who motivated me to keep working to get this update. You rock, girl! :D_

**The Lament of the Stars**

**Chapter Nine**

**Cloud and Sohnya**

He was in the mountains again. The air was crisp, cool. The sound of hawks screeching, of rabbits darting through sparse growth, filled his ears, his senses. He looked up from where he sat, listening for it. Yes. The sound of the waterfall, gently beating down, creating an endless curtain between his Tribe and the rigid wild territory they had come to inhabit. He turned his face to the wind, wishing he could return there. But even in a dream, he knew it was not possible. There was something else he must do.

Clouds Touching the Earth pricked his ears and darted forward, flying over the rugged landscape of his home as if the dangerous tom called Venom were chasing him. He could sense it, a disturbance, a pull. What was it, tugging at his dream world? His paws ached, as if they were aware he'd been walking in the Twoleg place all day, trying to find a trace – any trace – of the cat called Sohnya. He crested another rise and looked down into a familiar valley. He'd often gone there to hunt, finding it comfortable and out of the way. And now, standing in the center of the valley, was a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with calm blue eyes, staring up at him with a smile, as if he were an old friend.

"You are Cloud?" She asked as he leaped down the steep slope to stand near her. The she-cat's gaze seemed to bore into him, like she could see deep inside of his heart and mind. If she could, Cloud couldn't tell what she thought of what she saw. He took a hesitant step forward.

"Yes. I am Clouds Touching the Earth."

"Raven told me I was to find you. Do you also bear the mark?" And it was then that he saw it – the black shape of a shooting star on her forehead. It was so obvious, he wondered at not noticing it sooner.

"Yes," he said quickly, "Here on my neck." He touched the place with his paw. She stepped forward, looking at the mark closely. Then, with a small nod, she took a step back and gave him some room to breathe again.

"Sohnya." She said with a polite dip of her head.

"Raven told me about you." Cloud said, feeling relieved that he was finally meeting her at last.

"We've been looking for you." Sohnya meowed, almost seeming irritated about it.

"I've been searching for you, as well. Is this a dream?" Cloud looked around him, wondering how they could both be there. How could he see this cat and feel that she _was _Sohnya, even if he had never met the cat face to face before? Unless… unless she walked among the stars, too. Had she… was she…?

"Yes, it is _your_ dream. Part of the prophecy tells of great power. _My_ power… well, I can walk through dreams. Any dream. And I see things. The past, present… sometimes the future even." She murmured. He met her gaze and wondered at how mysterious that power seemed. The power to cross dreams, like the Tribe of Endless Hunting or the ancestors of the Clans – StarClan. It was frightening in a way. He wondered if he had any great power. He couldn't think of anything he'd ever been able to do that was different from his tribe-kin.

"I see." It was all Cloud could think to say. He looked into Sohnya's clear, calm gaze and wondered what she was thinking. If they were meant to save their friends and family together, they'd need to find each other. As if she were reading his thoughts, Sohnya nodded slowly.

"We will meet you near the eastern edge of the Twolegplace. Near the Truck stop. You will know the place when you see it. There are many Twoleg monsters sitting about, some without paws or with holes in their pelt. Will that work for you?" She looked at him expectantly, and Cloud thought about the smelly alley he'd fallen asleep in, hiding underneath a crate among some old Twoleg pelts.

"Yes," he meowed at last, "I will look for it."

"Good. I am looking forward to meeting you in the waking world." There was a hesitance in her gaze, and then she turned and vanished into thin air.

Clouds Touching the Earth opened his eyes, aware of a snuffling sound just outside the crate he'd taken shelter beneath. He tensed, lifting one paw and setting it down before him. He snuck forward, looking at the alley and wondering what had been making the sound. Suddenly a set of yellowed teeth snapped at his face, missing him by a whisker's length. He could feel the hot, rancid breath of the dog on his face as it growled and whined and clawed at him. He hissed, pressing his ears flat against his head as he struck out at the dog's muzzle. It yelped as his claws drew blood, hot and sticky. Cloud snarled and raced out of the crate, dragging his claws across the dog's face as he passed. The beast yelped in pain and met his stare. Cloud frowned, glaring with all the fire he possessed. The dog whimpered.

"You _will _leave," Cloud meowed, hardly knowing why he said it. The dog whined pitifully again and then turned and fled. Cloud straightened, feeling puzzled. It seemed odd that the dog understood what he wanted.

"That was impressive." A low voice said. Cloud started, turning to see a black tom sitting in the shadows of the alley, barely visible in the darkness. He was sitting with his tail tucked over his paws, his piercing yellow eyes staring intently at Cloud, as if he could see the cat's entire history in his face.

"Thanks," Cloud responded gruffly. The black tom stood. His fur rippled silkily, like the wing of a raven. He turned and listened for a moment, then cast a glance over at Cloud.

"If you don't want to run into trouble, you shouldn't linger. There are dangerous cats hunting these areas. They won't take kindly to competition." The tom's yellow eyes narrowed as Cloud's belly rumbled loudly, almost proving his point. Clouds Touching the Earth flattened his ears against his skull, feeling a warning more than a threat in the black cat's words.

"I'm looking for a certain place. A… a truck stop in the eastern part of Twolegplace." He meowed hopefully. The black tom looked over his shoulder again and then back at Cloud, his yellow eyes mere slits in his expressionless face.

"I know the place," he said at last, "And I will show you. But if any of the cats I mentioned comes too close, I won't stick around," he warned. Cloud nodded. The black cat moved like a shadow through the alleys. It was difficult keeping pace with him. He seemed to be purposefully avoiding the sounds and scents of other cats, weaving a difficult path through the tightest gaps of Twoleg nests, up thin fences and across gardens that reeked of dog. Cloud's paw stung horribly from where a splinter had been driven into the flesh. But he wouldn't stop. The black cat led him up to the side of a Thunderpath. His yellow gaze flickered as he looked back and forth. With a twitch of his tail, he signaled for them to cross. Cloud followed, his paws stinging on the warm surface of the path.

"How far?" He panted, sliding to a stop beside the black tom. His guide had halted and was scenting the air, his expression guarded. Finally he turned and blinked lazily.

"Over there," he said, motioning to a huge structure with many Twoleg monsters lined up in a row in front of it. Twolegs with dark blue pelts walked among them, calling to each other as they looked over the monsters.

"Thank you," Cloud meowed, turning. But to his surprise the black cat was already gone. He saw a flash of midnight as his guide disappeared on the other side of the Thunderpath. Clouds Touching the Earth tipped his head to one side, wishing he could have at least known the cat's name. Sighing, he turned his attention to the "Truck Stop". Sohnya hadn't been kidding when she'd mentioned the numerous injured monsters. Cloud was wary as he made his way through them, onto some boxes, and from there onto the roof of the large Twoleg nest. He sat down there, curling his tail around his paws. He stared out over the Twolegplace, his expression grave. How long would it be until Sohnya arrived? What would they do when they found each other? There must be others. How many? He couldn't remember if the cats in his dreams had mentioned it. Sighing, Cloud turned and was surprised to see a lanky tom sitting nearby, watching him.

"Hello," Cloud said warily, dipping his head.

"Howdy," the tom replied, tipping his head to one side. "You ain't from around here?"'

"No," Cloud responded immediately, feeling his fur prickle with suspicion. He'd met too many sketchy characters in this place. What could one tell about who was friend or foe? The only cat he could trust was the one that the Tribe of Endless Hunting had sent him, the one from his dream. Sohnya.

"Ah, I get it. You're a wanderer, huh? I've met all types here," the tom said, flicking his lanky striped tail.

"And you are…?" Cloud fixed him with cold blue eyes, feeling a bit suspicious.

"Hopscotch," the tom replied, "But Scotty works just as well. And what about you, stranger?" Scotty smiled an open, friendly smile. Cloud tried to relax, thinking that either Scotty was a mastermind actor out to sell him to Venom and his gang… or he was a harmless gossip that just liked to socialize with passerby. Even so, it was good to be safe.

"I'm Storm," Cloud said evenly, making sure that he kept a straight face. He didn't want Scotty to suspect him.

"Well, nice to meet you, Storm. Where're ya headed?"

"I'm… looking to go towards those hills," Cloud responded, motioning to the east with a fine sweep of his tail. Scotty followed the gesture with his eyes, looking a bit thoughtful.

"'Taint nothin' but wilderness out there, Stormy m'boy. Best to keep a lookout if'n yer fixed on goin' that way."

"Thanks for the advice." Cloud looked up at the old monster nest, wondering how long he'd have to wait before Sohnya showed up.

"Waitin' for someone?" Scotty inquired.

"Yes." Cloud replied hesitantly.

"You should watch out. There're cats 'round here that don't like… well, _groups. _And more'n'one is considered a group by them ruffians." With a twitch of his whiskers, Scotty made his way towards the monster nest. He leaped onto the back of one of the sleeping creatures, curling up in a patch of sunlight. Cloud watched with little expression on his face, wondering what could possibly possess a cat to get him to sleep on a monster. But pushing the thought aside, Cloud approached the beaten up, rather large Twoleg nest. He jumped onto the nearest box, jumping from there onto a wide platform and then, with a grunt, he heaved himself onto the nest's roof. Sitting with his thin-furred tail tucked around his paws, Cloud watched the Twolegs go by in their monsters, cats lounge in their gardens, and the many other things he could see from his perch. And with a contented sigh, he nestled in to wait for the cat that would follow him on his quest.

.:~.|*|.~:.

The scent of tar stung Sohnya's nose and made her breath hoarse. She stared across the Thunderpath, her bright eyes fixated on the other side. She could just see the outskirts of the Twolegplace and, beyond, the tinge of green from a vast wilderness unknown to most alley cats. Sohnya turned and glanced over her shoulder. Jace and Jaeger were arguing over whether it would be a good idea to eat now or later, while Riddle calmly looked on. Their group couldn't be any more different. Jace was energetic and talkative, if not too opinionated sometimes. He was like the sun of the group, always shining, always laughing. Jaeger was a skeptic, and rarely had two positive words to say to anyone. He was constantly analyzing things and had about as much faith as a toadstool. Riddle was mysterious and quiet, with a constant stare that seemed to look into a cat's very soul. Sohnya didn't know anything about him, but there was something like comradeship between them that gave her the hope he would tell her some day. She turned back to the Thunderpath and wondered what the other cats thought of her. She was not so very special. For her circumstances, Sohnya supposed she could be seen as very determined. Nothing got her down if she could help it. But she was weak, and there was no getting around that.

"So are we going soon?" Jace's appearance at her shoulder surprised Sohnya, but she'd learned long ago not to give into her emotions. Part of the reason as for self-preservation, the other was that jumping suddenly often resulted in falling over for the three-limbed she-cat. She glanced from Jace to the Thunderpath, letting her claws dig into the earth as she tested for vibrations. Sensing none, she nodded.

"All at once." She instructed, ignoring the concerned look from Riddle and the skeptical look from Jaeger. She limped up to Jace's side and paused for a moment, then let out a fierce yowl. The four cats surged across the road, their paws hammering with soft thumps against the sticky tar. Sohnya strained to keep up, using her hind legs to push herself farther forward, ignoring the shock that ran up her one leg as it took the impact of her landing. When they made it to the other side, Sohnya sat down immediately, trying to catch her breath and ease the throbbing in her leg. She glanced at Jace and noticed his small smile.

"What?" She asked, frowning at him.

"You're pretty quick when you have to be." He teased. Sohnya pretended to be angry and flicked him on the nose with her tail. He just laughed, and she couldn't help but join him. For many moons, she had felt distanced from other cats – utterly alone and strange in a world that was filled with unfairness and suffering. But now she finally had cats she could call friends. Her spirits rose, making her feel elated as they continued on. The feeling of grass beneath her paws soothed Sohnya, though she knew it would not last long. The Twolegplace was large, and the gravel could rub a cat's pads raw if they were not careful. The sun was shining dimly in the sky, softening the shadows that surrounded the small party of cats. Sohnya tried to keep her senses alert at all times, but the warmth and grayness of the day seemed to weigh on her, making her tired and absentminded. Jace seemed to be the only cat unaffected by the lagging weather. His eyes were bright and his fur fluffed up in excitement. He couldn't stop talking about meeting Cloud, the other cat that would soon join them. Sohnya personally felt bit antsy. After all, it wasn't every day a prophecy took shape in the lives of strangers, pulling them together in a bond like none Sohnya had ever experienced before. The feelings that she experienced were ones she'd never been exposed to before. It would take some getting used to.

"When you live in the alleys," Sohnya muttered at last, staring up at the dismal sky, "You learn to cope with the fate you're given." She ignored Jace's inquisitive stare, her mind already a few paces ahead. She wanted to get to the Twoleg monster nest by dark, if possible. There was something foreboding in the idea of staying out at night, where any cat could see them. She glanced at Riddle and noticed that he was checking the position of the sun, too. _So I'm not the only one who noticed. _Sohnya thought, wondering what sort of things were running through Riddle's head. He certainly was a mystery. There were certain mannerisms of his that she couldn't get her hands on – like how he'd bow his head with his eyes closed before he ate prey, or how he'd stare up at the stars when he thought she was sleeping. There was something lonely about him. Something sad.

"How much farther?" Jaeger asked, his voice irate. Sohnya narrowed her eyes, trying not to get angry with the whining housecat. After all, Jaeger was helpful when it came to navigating the Twolegplace. He was street savvy, if the term could be applied to one who had rarely stepped outside the block around his home.

"It won't be long now," Riddle meowed, responding before Sohnya could muster enough patience to not snap at Jaeger. She looked at the white and ginger patched tom, wondering what he was thinking. Riddle turned, as if sensing her stare, and smiled at her.

"There's one last Thunderpath, and then we'll be able to see it." Sohnya confirmed, trying not to look away from Riddle's stare, hating the urge to show weakness. She knew she was being petty, but the unease she felt around her friend was odd, and made her feel small. Sohnya limped forward determinedly as the Thunderpath rose up in sight, framed by the walls of imposing Twoleg nests. She knew that she had the right to complain more than any other cat. Her foreleg was on fire, a result of the lurching gate the three-legged cat was forced to walk. But Sohnya was an optimistic type, deep down, and she rarely lost hope when she had a mission to complete. And this mission was the greatest she had ever been given. At last, Sohnya felt as if she had a purpose in life. She felt that she belonged somewhere after a lifetime of being alone.

"Hey, Sohnya… what do you think this whole prophecy thing is about?" Jace asked as the group passed into the shadows of the nests, darting to Sohnya's side and matching his even pace with her clumsy one. Sohnya glanced at Jace, not sure how to respond. She had no idea what to think about the prophecy. It seemed that what would happen when they found their companions was the least of her worries, what with the other cats of the prophecy scattered far and wide.

After a moment of thought, Sohnya replied, "I'm not sure. I guess we'll have to wait and see." Her eyes slowly traveled to the shadowy alleys surrounding them. She felt uneasy, for some inexplicable reason.

"Hey, Sohnya-" Riddle's voice was cut off by a loud screech. Three dark shapes dislodged themselves from the Twoleg nests where they had perched. Sohnya grunted as one of them crashed into her shoulder, knocking her off balance easily. Thrusting with her hind legs, Sohnya caught the attacker in the chin, stunning them long enough for her to get back on her paws. Glancing about her, she saw that more cats had appeared from the shadows. _Oh no! _Sohnya thought, her eyes wide with horror, _We're surrounded!_

* * *

Author's Note:

Haha cliffhanger! Anyways, thank you all for reading! I hope you haven't been waiting too long , Anyways, please review/fave if you would be so inclined! Your input only makes my will to write stronger! ^w^


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